International: July 17, 2008

Beating Suspects Held

PARIS — Police have detained five youths suspected of being involved in the alleged anti-Semitic beating of a Paris teenager. Rudy Haddad, 17, was wearing a kippah when he was beaten last month by a group of young blacks. Paris police have been investigating the possible “anti-Semitic character” of the attack. Four of the youths called in for questioning July 7 were found in the 19th district of Paris where the crime took place. One was stopped in the northern Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis.

Dachau Seeks Twin

BERLIN — The German city of Dachau is seeking a new image – through a sister city in Israel. “Of course the city of Dachau would like to have a partner city in Israel. But it must be organized with great sensitivity,” mayor Peter Bürgel told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. Dachau is the site of one of the first concentration camps created on Hitler’s orders. Bürgel, a member of Bavaria’s conservative Christian Social Union Party was elected mayor in March. He said he wants to improve international contacts, particularly with Israel.

Obama To Visit Israel

NEW YORK — Barack Obama will visit Israel next week. The Democratic U.S. presidential nominee is expected to arrive on July 22 or 23 for a two- or three-day visit, Yediot Achronot reported. Obama, who is seen as keen to boost his security credentials and support among U.S. Jews, confirmed he plans to visit Israel as part of a Mideast tour. He’s expected to meet Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other top leaders, as well as visit Sderot to show solidarity with residents enduring rocket barrages from Gaza. His Republican opponent, John McCain, visited Israel recently.

Group Ends Agriprocessors Boycott

NEW YORK — An Orthodox social justice group has called off its boycott of America’s largest kosher meat supplier less than a month after it began.
The boycott, organized by Uri L’tzedek, went into effect in mid-June in an effort to pressure Agriprocessors to institute mechanisms to ensure compliance with U.S. labour laws. On July 8, the group said it was suspending the boycott because the company “is beginning to take significant steps towards directly addressing the concerns” raised about treatment of its workers.
Agriprocessors has sustained a wave of negative media coverage since May 12, when U.S. authorities conducted the largest workplace immigration raid in American history at its meat-packing plant in Postville, Iowa. In the wake of the raid, employees have claimed they were underpaid and sexually and physically abused. Agriprocessors officials deny the allegations and the federal government has yet to bring any charges against the company’s owners, the Lubavitch Rubashkin family of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Uri L’tzedek cited a number of reforms it says have been instituted by Agriprocessors’ new compliance officer, including the creation of an anonymous tip line for workers, a new safety department and new safety training.