More than 75 Jewish organizations around the world signed on to a joint letter Monday voicing “unequivocal support” for Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Commission coordinator on combating antisemitism, amid calls for her dismissal by EU parliament members over her support for Israel. 

In the letter addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the groups said von Schnurbein — who has served nearly a decade in the role —  “has worked tirelessly and with great integrity to strengthen European policies and initiatives that protect Jewish communities and ensure that Jewish life can flourish across our continent.”

“Her mandate has always been grounded in European values, democratic principles, and the urgent need to defend the Jewish community against hatred and discrimination,” the letter, spearheaded by the American Jewish Committee, continued. 

The signatories called it “deeply troubling” that von Schnurbein is accused of “‘bias’ simply because she refuses to trivialize or ignore threats against Jews.” Other signatories include the Anti-Defamation League, Conference of European Rabbis, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and World Jewish Congress. 

“To attack her for defending Jewish dignity and security is, in effect, to challenge the European Union’s own credibility in combating antisemitism,” the letter continued.   

A formal request to the European Commission calling for von Schnurbein’s firing was submitted on Friday by 26 EU Parliament members, Israel Hayom reported. The correspondence condemned a leaked presentation she made in May regarding ties between antisemitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel. It claims that von Schnurbein went beyond her institutional authority by attempting to persuade EU member-state representatives against imposing sanctions that would impact Israel’s position in the EU-Israel Association Agreement.