One in three Europeans blame Jews for global meltdown

Jerusalem, Feb.11 (ANI): A survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League has found that nearly a third of Europeans believe that Jews are responsible for the global economic meltdown.

A majority of them also said that Jews have too much power in the business world. The organization, which says its aim is "to stop the defamation of Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all," says the seven-nation survey confirms that anti-Semitism remains strong.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the poll included interviews with 3,500 people - 500 each in Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain.

It says that in Spain, 74 percent of those asked say they feel it is "probably true" that Jews hold too much sway over the global financial markets. That is the highest percentage in the survey.

Nearly two-thirds of Spanish respondents said Jews were more loyal to Israel than they were to their home countries.

"This poll confirms that anti-Semitism remains alive and well in the minds of many Europeans," said Abraham H. Foxman, the ADL's national director in America.

"Clearly, age old anti-Semitic stereotypes die hard," he added. Foxman said the study's findings were "particularly worrisome" in light of the anger spawned by the global economic meltdown, and following a number of violent acts against Jews or Jewish property after Israel's military action in the Gaza Strip.

Britain consistently registered the lowest levels of anti-Jewish sentiment, and numbers there have fallen from a similar survey conducted in 2007.

Austria also registered a slight drop in the level of anti-Semitism, while in other countries anti-Semitic sentiment either remained the same or deepened, the survey indicated.

Poland's chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, who saw the survey before it was published, said he has not seen any rise in anti-Semitism in Poland since the global financial crisis has unfolded.

He said an unacceptable level of anti-Jewish sentiment still exists in Poland, but that it is no worse than in other European countries.

The survey, conducted by First International Resources Dec. 1, 2008 through Jan. 13, 2009, included interviews with 3,500 people - 500 each in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain. The margin of error for each country was plus or minus 4 percent. (ANI)