Netanyahu Calls for European Jews to Immigrate to Israel

Following the attack on the Copenhagen synagogue, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on European Jews to immigrate to Israel. On Sunday, February 15, during a government meeting in Jerusalem, he stated, "Once again, Jews have been killed on European soil" and added, "Attacks on Jews in Europe will continue." Netanyahu urged Jews living in various European countries to immigrate permanently to Israel, as he claimed, "Israel is the only true home for Jews." Last month, Netanyahu's call for Jews from France to immigrate to Israel due to the 'insecurity' in France following the attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris was rejected by French Jewish leaders, and Netanyahu significantly altered his statements during a visit to a Paris synagogue while accompanied by French President François Hollande. However, the Jerusalem Post reported on February 15 that the Israeli government has approved $45 million for promotional programs to encourage European Jews to immigrate to Israel. On the evening of Saturday, February 14, an individual attacked the Jewish synagogue in downtown Copenhagen, killing the guard and injuring two others. The deceased guard was a Jewish man from the city named 'Dan Ozan,' who had volunteered to help with a 'Bar Mitzvah' ceremony being held at the synagogue. Israeli media reported on February 15 that Dan Ozan's father was an Israeli who had moved to Denmark for permanent residence, and his mother is Danish. The murder of this Danish Jew occurred hours after a shooting at a Copenhagen café where 'Lars Vilks,' a Swedish cartoonist known for a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad eight years ago, and several guests, including the French ambassador to Copenhagen, were attending a meeting titled 'Islam, Blasphemy, and Freedom of Expression.' Danish police stated that the individual who attacked the synagogue was likely the same person who had shot at the café earlier but had fled. In the café attack, one person was killed and three police officers were injured. According to Danish police, shortly after the attack on the synagogue, an individual also attacked police forces at Copenhagen's central train station, where officers killed the assailant in a return fire. It appears that the assailant in all three incidents that occurred between Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning was the same individual who was killed at the central train station. In France, police arrested a young Muslim citizen on charges of 'threatening' an Israeli diplomat and a Jewish member of the French parliament. According to the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post and French media, the 19-year-old Frenchman was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, February 15. This individual is referred to only by his first name, 'Amin.' The Jerusalem Post reported that 'Amin' is accused of sending videos of ISIS hostages being beheaded as a 'threat' to Barnea Hasid, the Israeli consul in the port city of Marseille, and Meir Habib, a Jewish member of the National Assembly of France. The Jerusalem Post added that nothing significant was found during police searches of 'Amin's' home, but his family stated that their son had recently been reading Islamic books. The Jerusalem Post noted that French Jews are deeply concerned about their safety in the country following recent deadly anti-Semitic attacks. About six weeks ago, 'Amedi Coulibaly,' an armed Frenchman of African descent, attacked a Jewish supermarket in Paris, killing four Jewish customers. 'Amedi Coulibaly' attacked the Jewish supermarket two days after two brothers of Algerian descent attacked the office of the satirical magazine 'Charlie Hebdo' in Paris, and he was also killed. France has witnessed several other attacks on Jewish sites in recent weeks, including a recent attack on Jewish radio guards in Nice.