Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called for the creation of a ministerial task force on anti-Semitism at Sunday´s cabinet meeting, after the presentation of government studies reporting an increase in anti- Jewish attacks in Europe and ongoing incitement by the Palestinian Authority.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Natan Sharansky will head the task force, which will convene in the next few days.

Sharansky, who presented the reports in the cabinet meeting, welcomed the creation of the task force as a means of strengthening the activities of his Global Forum Against Anti-Semitism, designed to monitor and combat the phenomenon.

The creation of the task force demonstrates "the involvement and the commitment of the prime minister to increase the priority given to these efforts," according to a Sharansky aide.

"We see the task force as simply strengthening the Global Forum´s efforts to date," he said, dismissing any notion that the task force would divert funds or attention from the forum. "The government is putting a lot of resources and its weight behind the fight against anti-Semitism." (© 1995-2005, The Jerusalem Post 01/31/05)