STATEMENT REGARDING THE ANTISEMITIC ATTACK ON OUR COLLEAGUES FROM NGO HAVER SERBIA IN BELGRADE

Statement published on November 11, 2024.

Yesterday, our colleagues from NGO Haver Serbia in Belgrade were targeted by a crude antisemitic attack. The doors, hallway, and entire entrance to the building where Haver has its premises were covered with anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian graffiti, but among them, we highlight a particularly toxic expression of hatred against Jews in the Republic of Serbia, written in capital letters: “Haver get out of Serbia.”

On behalf of the Center for Combating Antisemitism and Intolerance CBA, on behalf of NGO Terraforming, and on behalf of all other organizations and individuals appalled by this act, we strongly condemn this scandalous antisemitic attack, directly and unequivocally aimed against the Jewish community in the Republic of Serbia.

At the same time, we extend strong support to our colleagues from NGO Haver Serbia and tell them that they are not alone, that we stand firmly with them, and that there is no place in the Republic of Serbia for extremism and violence inspired by hatred towards Jews, or any other minority community.

The last time some Serbs publicly propagated that Jews should be expelled from Serbia was Ljotić and Nedić, and Serbia was under Nazi occupation.

Every antisemitic incident is an attack on the foundations of democracy, civil rights, and human dignity, and this is also a direct attack on the entire civil society and freedom of association, which is one of the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Serbia.

NGO Haver is a non-profit, non-governmental, educational civil society organization that promotes a diverse and inclusive society in Serbia. The organization’s main focus is to introduce society to the culture, history, and traditions of the Jewish people as a step in combating prejudice, antisemitism, xenophobia, and discrimination, and strengthening awareness of other minorities and marginalized groups.

To be precise and clear: NGO Haver Serbia was founded by citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and the organization has been successfully operating for more than ten years.

Among others, Haver Serbia was awarded the “Remembering Hilda Dajč” award for 2023, in the category “Exceptional Contribution to the Culture of Remembrance” for installing the first 10 Stolpersteine memorials in Belgrade, making our capital city part of the largest decentralized memorial in the world dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust. In the same year it received this award, just a few months later, Haver Serbia experienced one of the most severe antisemitic attacks on its own doorstep.

The attackers’ intention to intimidate the members of NGO Haver Serbia is obvious. The fact that messages of hatred were written at the entrance to the organization’s premises clearly shows that we must take this direct and clear threat seriously. We demand that the police react efficiently and identify the perpetrators, ensure adequate security and protection for the members of NGO Haver Serbia, and enable the organization to continue its activities. We expect the prosecution to qualify this clear act of antisemitism as a hate crime because this act was unequivocally committed, precisely as defined in the Criminal Code, “out of hatred due to the victim’s race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

The conflict between Israel and Hamas, or any other armed conflict, as well as disagreements over various political or any other issues, must not and cannot be a reason for violence and verbal or physical attacks. The foundations of pluralism and democratic culture dictate that we can express our opinions, but it is crucial to respect the integrity and rights of others. It is especially important to respect and nurture the rights and integrity of minority groups already exposed to xenophobia and prejudice, such as the Jewish community in Serbia.

We hereby call on other organizations, institutions, officials, and individuals to join us in condemning this antisemitic attack and to provide unequivocal support to our colleagues from NGO Haver Serbia.

Miško Stanišić
President of the Management Board of the Center for Combating Antisemitism CBA,
and Director of NGO Terraforming

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries, please contact Nemanja Stevanović at nemanja.stevanovic@terraforming.org