A proposal in an Austrian province to restrict the kosher slaughter of animals has drawn strong criticism in the European country.
An official in Lower Austria province responsible for animal welfare, Gottfried Waldhäusl of the nationalist Freedom Party told the Wiener Zeitung newspaper, "We are examining whether the demand for meat can be coupled to residency." He objected to people from nearby Vienna, where a majority of Austria's Jewish population resides, coming to have animals slaughtered there. He further said religious ritual slaughter should be rejected.
A top official with Austria's center-left opposition Social Democrats, Max Lercher, said Wednesday that Waldhaeusl planned to make Jews register to receive kosher meat. He said the notion Jews would be made to register in such a manner was "a clearly anti-Semitic demand."
Vienna's Jewish community was also critical.
Jewish Community President Oskar Deutsch said the plans would require compiling lists of Jews and was thus reminiscent of Nazi laws introduced to Austria following its annexation by Germany in 1938, the BBC reported.
The American Jewish Committee's Berlin office also blasted the move, questioning whether the plan would also require Jews wear the yellow Star of David as was required under the Nazi regime.
Austria's Ambassador to Israel Martin Weiss tried to downplay reports of the planned registry on Twitter, Wednesday, writing, "This story has given rise to great concerns in Austria's Jewish and Muslim community. Leading politicians from Lower Austria have thus gone on record & made it clear that they will find a solution together with these communities – and allay all fears!"
Klaus Schneeberger of the conservative Austrian People's Party, which leads the regional government, told the Austria Press Agency that authorities would not establish any such registry.
