Anti-Semitism: Tougher measures required

“We don’t want the Middle East conflict to be fought out on Austria’s streets. Anyone who commits anti-Semitic acts or glorifies the terror of Hamas cannot retain their right to stay here,” said Hattmannsdorfer. Anyone who is convicted under the prohibition law or uses Hamas terrorist symbols should be able to be deported immediately. Three flags with banned symbols were seized at a pro-Palestinian rally in Linz.

Strict tones have also recently come from Lower Austria. Mikl-Leitner spoke out in favor of a zero-tolerance initiative in order to be able to combat anti-Semitism more strongly. Acquiring citizenship should therefore not be possible after six years, but rather after ten years at the earliest. As part of the citizenship test, a visit to a concentration camp memorial should be mandatory. In addition, parents should be more closely involved in schools and a lack of willingness to integrate should be sanctioned.

“Clear words of demarcation”

On Wednesday, Mikl-Leitner went even further. She called for Muslims to clearly distance themselves from terror and anti-Semitism. She expects not only “clear words of demarcation and rejection” from the official Muslim side, but also active persuasion work in mosques and schools.

• Article on the topic: Terror and anti-Semitism: Mikl-Leitner calls for clear distancing from Muslims

The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) and SOS Mitmensch reacted with incomprehension to Mikl-Leitner’s statements. The demand to distance oneself from terror and anti-Semitism “represents a blanket general suspicion towards all Muslims living in Austria and assumes that they support terror, hatred and anti-Semitism,” it said in a broadcast. The IGGÖ “strongly rejected the Hamas attack from the beginning.” Such statements from a state governor who is in alliance “with a party that has repeatedly attracted attention for its anti-Semitic statements and actions in the past” are “unacceptable.” SOS Mitmensch spoke of “divisive rhetoric” and red lines were clearly being crossed.

FP chairman Herbert Kickl accused the ÖVP of “voter fraud”. The closer an election gets, the more proposals on the asylum issue there are – from the asylum code to the zero-tolerance initiative.

• Read more: Kickl once again propagates the “Fortress Austria”

The Interior Ministry published current figures on Wednesday. From January to the end of October, 10,478 refugees were taken out of the country, 52 percent voluntarily and 48 percent forcibly. Almost every second person who was forcibly deported had a criminal conviction. In total, deportations out of the country increased by 25 percent compared to the previous year, and asylum applications fell by 50 percent.

• Current numbers: Asylum – deportations increased by 25 percent

info By clicking on the icon you can add the keyword to your topics.

info
By clicking on the icon you open your “my topics” page. They have of 15 keywords saved and would have to remove keywords.

info By clicking on the icon you can remove the keyword from your topics.

Add the topic to your topics.