France – Council Of Europe Cancels Anti-circumcision And Anti- Shechita Measure After Joint Jewish-Muslim Effort

    3

    FILEFrance – Two years of efforts by the Israeli Knesset to combat a resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) recommending that countries ban ritual circumcision bore fruit Thursday, when it was reversed via a new resolution on religious freedoms.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    The new resolution, which passed with 73 in favor and six opposed, recommends that PACE member states “seek reasonable accommodations with a view to guaranteeing equality that is effective, and not merely formal, in the right to freedom of religion.” It gives general guidelines to promote coexistence and fight hate speech, allowing religious communities to practice their faith, manage welfare institutions and express their opinions.  The resolution refers specifically to Islamophobia, but not to anti-Semitism.

    The council recommended that states require circumcisions to be performed by people trained to do so, in appropriate medical and health conditions, and that parents be informed of any medical risk to their child.

    The resolution also addresses ritual slaughter, stating that PACE is not convinced it should be banned and recommending following the French or German model of protecting animals from unnecessary suffering while respecting religious freedom.

    MK Esawi Frej (Meretz), who represented the Knesset at the vote, called the decision a victory for common sense.

    “The argument about whether to circumcise is legitimate, but opponents of the ancient ritual should fight through education and public relations and not try to force their opinions through legislation,” Frej said.

    In October 2013, PACE’s Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Committee approved a resolution by German rapporteur Marlene Rupperecht stating that ritual circumcision, in addition to piercings, tattoos, plastic surgery, medical intervention in cases of possibly transgender children and female genital mutilation, violates children’s right to protect their physical integrity. It also recommended that laws be passed “to ensure that certain operations and practices will not be carried out before a child is old enough to be consulted.” Jews perform ritual circumcision on boys when they are eight days old, and Muslims do so to 13-year-old boys.

    PACE resolutions are non-binding, but taken seriously by member states.

    Since the resolution passed, the Knesset, under Speaker Yuli Edelstein’s leadership and the guidance of Knesset Diplomatic Advisor Oded Ben-Hur, sent delegations of MKs, Jewish and Muslim, to PACE and to countries from Azerbaijan in the east to Paris in the west, to enlist their European colleagues from other countries in the battle against the decision and other initiatives to ban ritual circumcision.

    MKs advocated for ritual circumcision to be dealt with as a matter of religious freedom, as opposed to children’s rights, moving it to PACE’s Culture, Science Education and Media Committee, which discusses religious issues, among others.

    Edelstein said on Thursday that he is glad the Knesset’s efforts were successful.

    “From the first, it was clear that PACE’s recommendation was outrageous, unreasonable and clearly harms many people’s freedom of religion,” he stated. “I hope that we will not have to fight for basic rights like brit mila in the future.”‎


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    3 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    8 years ago

    Those European Jew haters would have banned bris mila and shechita if the Muslims had not joined in.
    It’s not even 80 years since the Holocaust and the European anti Semites have still not yet learned their lessons.
    Hopefully, Hashem will teach them well when they extremely soon be forced to deal with the Muslims they are now taking in.
    It’s like Hashem is saying, “You don’t want My people? Here, take the Muslims instead.”

    8 years ago

    “and that parents be informed of any medical risk to their child”

    Isn’t that what Bloombergs deal said? Yet we considered that a loss?

    anonyid
    anonyid
    8 years ago

    The only reason the EU anti-Semites allowed shechita and milah to go through because they wouldn’t dare start up with Muslim or other Arabs.