By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Jewish individuals in the European Union continue to experience significant levels of antisemitism, according to the most recent survey by the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) of the EU. The survey included responses from over 8,000 Jews across 13 EU nations, such as Germany and France, with 96% reporting encounters with antisemitism in their everyday lives. A large portion of these incidents involved online harassment.
Sirpa Rautio, the FRA's director, highlighted a "wave of antisemitism" across Europe, partly fueled by the Middle Eastern conflict. She emphasized that this situation severely restricts Jewish people's ability to "live in safety and with dignity."
The survey, which examined experiences from the year prior to its execution in the first half of 2023, was conducted before the Hamas attacks on 7 October and Israel's subsequent military actions in Gaza. However, the FRA reported a substantial increase in antisemitic incidents since the onset of the Gaza conflict. This conflict began when Hamas and other Palestinian groups attacked southern Israel on 7 October, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. In response, Israeli attacks have killed 38,295 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas run health ministry there.
The FRA's long term research indicates that antisemitism typically rises during periods of Middle Eastern tension. The recent survey found that 75% of respondents felt they were blamed for the Israeli government's actions due to their Jewish identity. While 90% encountered antisemitism online, the FRA noted that "antisemitic harassment and violence mostly take place in streets, parks, or shops."
Over half of those surveyed feared for their own or their family's safety, and 76% admitted to concealing their Jewish identity at times. Additionally, feedback from 12 Jewish organizations in early 2023 revealed a sharp increase in reported antisemitic incidents, including harassment, intimidation, and violence.
Austria and Sweden reported over a 400% rise in antisemitic incidents from October to December 2022 compared to the same period in the previous year. Denmark, which reported nine antisemitic incidents in 2022, saw this number rise to 121 in 2023.
The FRA stressed the urgent need for safety and protection for Jewish individuals and institutions and urged governments to increase funding for the security of Jewish communities, including schools and synagogues. "We need to build on existing laws and strategies to protect communities from all forms of hate and intolerance, online as well as offline," Ms. Rautio stated. The FRA also called on governments to leverage the EU's Digital Services Act to remove antisemitic content from online platforms and to enhance efforts to prosecute antisemitic hate crimes.
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