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'Euro Jewry needs shift in mindset on security'

Brussels

May 7, 2015 15:36
07052015 463489432

By

Shirli Sitbon,

Shirli Sitbon

2 min read

Jewish groups in Europe are realising that they cannot rely solely on the intelligence services, the police or even their own - often threadbare - security organisations for protection.

This was one of the key messages to emerge at the American Jewish Committee's conference on antisemitism, titled "A Defining Moment for Europe", which took place in Brussels on Tuesday.

Since the attacks in Paris in January, all Jewish sites in France have had 24-hour police protection. But that exceptional measure will end - the date has not been publicised - and when that happens, the communities will have to come up with more creative ways to secure themselves.

"When the current deployment stops, something else needs to be in place," said John Farmer, a law professor at Rutgers University. "Europeans have to adopt the 'see something, say something' policy, like in the US.