Will Europe face up to anti-Semitism?

Who would believe that 50 years after the Holocaust, Europe would still be fraught with burgeoning incidents of anti-Semitism?

At least this time many people around the world are acknowledging the problem and trying to figure out how to combat it. That was the goal of 350 delegates representing some 55 nations who met last week in Vienna for a two-day conference on anti-Semitism.

The statistics they confronted are frightening. The Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, which compiles the numbers, claims that attacks against Jews in Europe have reached the highest level since World War II.

Some 1,300 anti-Semitic acts have been reported in France since 2001, including an arson attack against a Marseilles synagogue and the stabbing of a rabbi in Paris. In Britain between 1998 and 2001, there were 1,308 attacks against Jews.

Why the new rash of anti-Semitism? Various reasons were offered.

Many delegates blamed it on discontent with Israel's handling of Palestinians. By attacking Jews in Europe, bigots are manifesting their hatred of Israel and America, which they see as Israel's international defender.

In addition, conferees agreed that anti-Semitism is fueled by a multitude of Web sites that blame Jews for every evil in the world.

Now that the conference is over, its accomplishments will be measured by how European governments tackle the problems spelled out before them.

Hate-crime laws must be enacted. European leaders must denounce anti-Semitic acts. Educational programs must include lessons about the Holocaust and instruction on dealing with biases.

Conferees demonstrated their commitment to countering anti-Semitism by agreeing to meet a year from now in Berlin, of all places. The German government did the right thing in extending such an invitation.

Let's hope that all the attention these meetings will garner will lead to a decrease of anti-Semitism in Europe and elsewhere.