Recent statistical data released by France and Belgium pinpoints an alarming rise in the number of antisemitic acts in both countries, particularly following Hamas’ attack on Israel and the initiation of the war in Gaza.
The French Ministry of the Interior alongside the Service for the Protection of the Jewish Community of France (SPCJ), reported that in 2023, France saw 1,676 antisemitic acts, an exponential increase when compared to the 436 recorded in 2022. Notably, the volume of these acts surged after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, with the three-month count matching the total from the previous three years.
Similarly in Belgium, the Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism (Unia) has noted a comparable surge. Between 2018 to 2022, Unia identified 291 cases pertaining to antisemitism. However, the Israel-Hamas conflict sparked a stark increase, with 91 reports recorded in the mere two months between October 7 and December 7, 2023, up from an average of four or five monthly reports in 2022. Though the majority of these cases (65 percent) encompassed hate messages, a significant 10 percent involved acts of violence.
Such trends are particularly concerning given that, according to the World Jewish Congress, France harbors the world’s third-largest Jewish community, numbering nearly half a million. Exceeded only by Israel and the United States, this comprises a large segment of the global Jewish population. In contrast, Belgium hosts approximately 29,000 self-identifying Jews, mainly residing in Brussels or Antwerp, Belgium’s two largest cities. They make up 0.25 percent of the country’s total population.
Meanwhile, other European countries like Denmark and the United Kingdom, have similarly recorded an uptick in reported antisemitic acts in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war.
In response to escalating tensions, on January 18, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. This action, while significant, serves as a reminder of the underlying antisemitism that persists throughout the continent.
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