Jewish people in the EU continue to face high levels of antisemitism, according to the latest survey from the bloc’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA).
More than 8,000 Jews in 13 EU countries, including Germany and France, were interviewed – with 96% saying they had encountered antisemitism in their daily life.
The vast majority had experienced harassment online.
The FRA’s director, Sirpa Rautio, warned that Europe was facing a “wave of antisemitism” – driven partly by the conflict in the Middle East.
She warned that this was severely limiting the ability of Jewish people in EU countries to “live in safety and with dignity”.
The survey, which looked at participants’ experiences in the year before it was carried out, took place in the first half of 2023 – before the 7 October Hamas attacks and Israel’s resulting military campaign in Gaza.
However, the FRA said there had been a dramatic rise in reported antisemitic attacks since the Gaza war began.
It was sparked when gunmen from Hamas and other Palestinian groups attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage on 7 October last year.
Israel’s retaliatory attacks have since killed 38,295 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The FRA said its research over the years had found that antisemitism tends to increase in times of tension in the Middle East.
It added that 75% of those who took part in their latest survey felt that they were held responsible for the Israeli government’s actions because they are Jewish.
Source: //fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2024/experiences-and-perceptions-antisemitism-third-survey
