NEW YORK – After Bosnian Federal Minister Adnan Delic called for the cancellation of a June 16-18 meeting in Sarajevo of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), the World Jewish Congress (WJC) released the following statement on X:
“For generations, Sarajevo—once known as the ‘Jerusalem of the Balkans’— was a city of coexistence, where people of different religions could live side-by-side.
“The decision to cancel the long-planned Conference of European Rabbis meeting at the urging of Minister Delic is a shameful act of antisemitism and an affront to the Bosnian capital’s rich history as a cultural melting pot on European soil.
“The failure to ensure security for this gathering is an ominous sign for the future of Jewish safety.”
In addition, Jakob Finci, president of the Jewish Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said the cancellation was a “slap in the face that Sarajevo has given itself.”
He said he was “unpleasantly surprised” that calls to ban the event cited the situation in Gaza, without any mention of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel by the terror group Hamas. “Before every prayer, everything begins and ends with the word ‘shalom,’ which means peace,” he also said.
The Jewish community has had a presence in Sarajevo for more than 450 years.
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