A report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights warns that most Jews in Europe fear for their safety and that of their families.
Jews in Europe are facing rising anti-Semitism, partly fueled by conflict in the Middle East, a European Union human rights watchdog said.
Nearly all European Jews surveyed by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) said they had experienced antisemitism in the year preceding the study, between January and June 2023, and that such incidents had spiked since October 7, when Israel's ongoing war on Gaza broke out.
“The contagion effect of the Middle East conflict is eroding hard-won gains” in combating anti-Jewish hatred, said FRA director Sirpa Rautio. The report was published on Thursday.
“Worrying about their safety and hiding their Jewish identity remains a reality for many Jews today.”
'I do not feel safe'
The FRA report surveyed nearly 8,000 Jews in 13 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they had been harassed because of their Jewish identity in the year before the survey was conducted in 2023. Four percent reported being physically attacked.
Most said they actively care about their own safety and that of their family.
Fears are especially high in times of heightened tension or conflict in the Middle East, respondents said.
In France, 74 percent of Jews felt the Middle East conflict affected their sense of security, the highest rate among the countries surveyed.
Across Europe, 76 percent said they hide their Jewish identity “at least occasionally” and 34 percent avoid Jewish events or sites “because they do not feel safe.”
The most common “negative stereotypes” found by respondents accused Jews of “having power and control over finance, the media, politics or the economy.”
Some 60 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with their national governments' efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
'Dramatic increase' in attacks
The survey was conducted before the Gaza war broke out last October, but the FRA supplemented it with more recent reports on antisemitism detected by Jewish groups in 11 EU countries.
All groups reported an increase in anti-Jewish hatred since October 7, with several reporting an increase of more than 400 percent.
“FRA’s consultation with national and European Jewish organizations in early 2024 shows a dramatic increase” in anti-Semitic attacks, Rautio said. “Jews are more scared than ever.”
The fallout from Israel’s war on Gaza has also led to a rise in anti-Muslim hatred, human rights groups have warned. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recorded more reports of anti-Muslim bias in 2023 than in nearly three decades.
“All around us we are witnessing the deterioration of an already tense and worrying situation, affecting not only Jewish populations but also Muslim communities,” said FRA’s Rautio.
“In such emotionally charged times, our findings are a reminder to spread the message of tolerance, respect and fundamental freedoms for all.”
