Isn’t it an ambitious goal to try to beat down the most ancient and sophisticated of hatreds? Throughout centuries, anti-Semitism has been taking different forms, including vandalism, harassment, assault, and – as a culmination – mass murder of Jews.
However, one should not mistakenly believe that anti-Semitism is only about discrimination against Jews. If left unaddressed, this prejudice poses a threat to a society as a whole, representing a serious blow to democratic values.
Today, the fight against anti-Semitism faces another challenge. Escalation of the Israel-Hamas war has fueled a hostility toward Jews at unprecedented rates. When the conflict erupted, anti-Semitic incidents followed throughout the world, and Europe was no exception.
“One major challenge that is already appearing right now is the growing anti-Semitism in many European countries,” Dino Krause, an expert on transnational jihad at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told this author.
“Since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, we have already seen a measurable increase in antisemitic hate crimes, for example, targeting synagogues, Jewish schools, or Jewish people in public.”
In France alone, which houses the largest Jewish community in Europe, police recorded more than 300 physical acts of anti-Semitism during the first 10 days of the Israel-Hamas war. The Stars of David have been spray-painted on several homes in Berlin, echoing the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany.
London’s Metropolitan Police documented 105 anti-Semitic incidents and 75 anti-Semitic offenses in the first half of October, compared with 14 incidents and 12 offenses in the same period last year.
Pernicious role of al-Qaeda and ISIS
Although al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) disagree with Hamas on a number of issues, they all have an identical view of Israel as an “illegal occupier” of Muslim lands. Two recent terror attacks in Europe have turned out to be yet another proof of that.
On October 13, Mohammed Mogouchkov, who had previously pledged allegiance to Islamic State, fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded two other people at the Lycée Gambetta-Carnot in the northern French city of Arras. According to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, there was a relationship between the attack and recent events in Israel.
Three days later, a 45-year-old Tunisian gunman killed two Swedish soccer fans in Brussels. Belgian officials said the terrorist act could be linked to the current conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, in a video posted prior to the attack, the man claimed that he was “inspired by ISIS.”
“We have also seen an increase in jihadist propaganda, from both Islamic State- and al-Qaeda-affiliated online channels, which have sought to instrumentalize the ongoing civilian suffering in Gaza as a result of Israeli air strikes in order to call their upon followers to carry out ‘lone-wolf’ attacks in Europe,” Krause noted.
“These developments are particularly concerning in light of the already heightened terrorist risk in some European countries, for example Denmark and Sweden, as a result of the recent Koran burnings.
“Recent jihadist terrorist attacks in Belgium and France also underscore the persistent danger of jihadist terrorism in Europe,” the expert said, adding that current developments might also lead to increased Islamophobia in European countries.
What has been achieved so far
On October 5, 2021, the European Commission adopted its first-ever official strategy on combating anti-Semitism. The document suggests initiating a variety of programs to monitor hate speech and develop counternarratives, protect Jewish sites and promote Holocaust awareness. Additionally, the European Union pledged to intensify cooperation with Israel in its fight against anti-Semitism.
Nevertheless, much has yet to be done – as is clear from recent events. The anti-Semitism issue is much more complicated than one may think, with the Israel-Hamas war serving just as a trigger. To be successful, the fight against this prejudice requires a multifaceted approach and should not be limited to dealing with Islamic radicalism only.
“As a long-term strategy,” Krause said, elaborating about the EU’s response to the threat, “European authorities have to develop strategies to address the issue of anti-Semitism, which remains a major problem not only among parts of Europe’s Muslim populations, but also in the wider societies, especially among some adherents of far-left and far-right political movements.”
Traditionally associated with neo-fascists, today anti-Israel sentiments are increasingly becoming a left-wing issue in Europe. A report published by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League highlights that anti-Semitism is “making inroads in the pro-independence Basque and Catalan parties.”
Dealing with a terror threat
A little while ago, the director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher Wray, made a disturbing statement while testifying before the Senate Homeland Security Committee. The US security service has established that in the last few weeks, a number of foreign extremist organizations have called for attacks against the West.
“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate years ago,” the FBI director warned.
Taking into consideration that jihadist actors tend to mobilize support among disenchanted youth, Krause advises continuing to work toward better integration of Muslims communities’ members into European societies.
“European police and intelligence services have to remain vigilant in order to counter the most immediate threat emanating from already radicalized individuals potentially contemplating the carrying out of terrorist attacks,” he added.
The higher the terrorist threat, the more vulnerable Jewish communities are. Ignoring this fact means nothing less than playing into the hands of violent extremists. At the same time, one needs to understand a simple thing: Anti-Semitism is blind. In practice, this prejudice damages everyone, be it Jews or non-Jews, something that has been repeatedly proved by history.