Islam and antisemitism in Europe

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ISLAM AND ANTISEMITISM IN EUROPE





For the purpose of this brief analysis I shall divide Europe into two halves:
western and southern Europe, and eastern Europe. In eastern Europe
antisemitism still stems primarily from the far right and from fringe
elements within the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. In Russia, for example
there are observable links between the far right and these Church elements.
There are also links between the far right and their western European and
American counterparts, but they are limited, so far.

As far as western and southern Europe is concerned there are five important
points, I think, to make which may help to explain the rise in antisemitism
in these regions.

First, campaigns against Israel and Zionism in the Arab and Muslim media
increasingly demonise Jews. Articles in the Saudi, Egyptian, Syrian and
Iranian press, in particular, have promoted blood libels, the Protocols of
the Elders of Zion and other Jewish conspiracy theories. This has influenced
Muslim communities in Europe as many of these papers may be purchased here,
or are available via the Internet.

Second, Arab statesą past military failures against Israel, and Israeląs
continuing economic successes, are explained to the Arab world as the results
of conspiracies, which draw on Protocols-type theories. The widespread belief
in the Arab world that September 11 was either an Israeli plot or that Israel
had pre-knowledge of the plot has now been repeated by European antisemites,
both neo-Nazi and Islamist.

Third, the rise of the Islamist opposition, and Islamist campaigns within the
Muslim world and western Europe, have moved the anti-Jewish beliefs within
Islam from the fringes, where they historically resided, closer to the
centre, at least as far as public discourse is concerned.

Fourth, the radicalisation of Muslim youth in Muslim countries and in Europe
has given rise to increasingly open and violent attacks against individual
Jews and Jewish institutions. Many may be spontaneous acts rather than being
the result of pre-planning, as were the three hundred or so antisemitic acts
against the French Jewish community following the IDFąs entry into the West
Bank in April.

Lastly, the left and left-liberal media increasingly view Israeląs actions
against Palestinian terrorism as racist, colonialist or even Nazi-like. The
demonisation of Israel and the mediaąs obsession with blaming Israel for the
current impasse in the Middle East is leading to a climate of tension and
even fear within some Jewish communities.

As a consequence of these factors antisemitism and violence against Jewish
communities now increasingly comes from the Muslim world. Much of the
violence comes from Muslim youth and sympathisers of Palestinian claims.
Obviously not all Muslim youth are involved; it is only the radicalised and
Islamists who are responsible. It is equally important to note that the
Muslim community itself in many countries is the subject of increasing racism
and that in this sense at least we are victims together. As far as the far
right is concerned the focus of their hatred is increasingly against the
Muslim community. This is not to suggest that they have discovered an empathy
with the Jews but that they now have a more visible enemy to focus on.

The demonisation of Israel, and now occasionally but increasingly of Jews, is
leading to the legitimisation of antisemitism. There is a reluctance on the
part of the Muslim community and the left-liberal media to see, or to want to
see, that they are as much a source of antisemitism as the far right. Any
criticism of them by the Jewish community is immediately ascribed to our
refusal to tolerate criticism of Israel.

Numerous attacks on Jews have been reported throughout Europe, particularly
since the outbreak of the second Intifada in September 2000. In Britain the
violent attacks against Jews increased by 75% in the two years after
September 2000. During this time attacks on synagogues increased by 400%1. A
direct correlation can be made between events in the Middle East and
antisemitic incidents. Among the more horrific attacks was that on David
Myers, a yeshiva student, travelling on a bus in north London, who was
stabbed 20 times by Algerian asylum-seeker, Nabil Ould Eddine. Eddine was
subsequently confined to a psychiatric hospital for an indefinite period but
it is believed that his motivation in attacking Myers was a desire to strike
at the first identifiable Jew as a consequence of the incitement he heard at
the mosque he attended in north London.

In April the combined Scandinavian Jewish communities reported that ła wave
of antisemitic incidents has struck the Jewish communities in ScandinaviaŠthe
increase in incidents is connected to the escalation of the conflict in
Israel2.˛

The Danish community reported that in April in Aarhus, a Palestinian counter-
demonstration against a peaceful pro-Israel demonstration organised by a
local Christian activist was attacked. The attackers used sticks, knives and
knuckledusters, and 31 were subsequently arrested. It is interesting to note
that among their attackers were members of White Pride, a local neo-Nazi
group3.

A further report in May from the Danish community describes the attack by
Arabs against a local young Jew. According to the report, łhe feels
frightened and is no longer sure when he walks on the street.˛ A month later
a young Jewish man exercising in a gym in Copenhagen was threatened by a
Palestinian who, seeing a Magen David around the young manąs neck, told him
that he would be knifed4.

The 300 antisemitic acts against the French Jewish community between the end
of March and the end of the second week in April following Israeli military
action against Palestinian terrorism were widely reported in the
international press5. What was given less publicity was the analysis of these
acts. Violent attacks rose from 74 in 1999, to 194 in 2000, to 294 in 2001,
and to 253 during the first six months of 2002. The general assessment by
both the authorities and the Jewish community is that these were almost
totally the result of spontaneous attacks by Muslim youths6.

In addition to the acts of violence against individual members, communities
throughout western and southern Europe reported substantial acts of vandalism
against synagogues and cemeteries. The Greek community reported attacks
during the month of April against the cemeteries in Ioannina-Epirus,
Thessaloniki (where the Holocaust monument was daubed with red paint), Drama
(Macedonia), Patras (Peloponese), Chalkis, (where the Holocaust memorial was
daubed)7. Synagogues and cemeteries throughout the United Kingdom have been
vandalised and desecrated. The Yugoslav community also reported desecrations
of the cemetery in Belgrade8.

In general, communities were ill-prepared for the physical attacks that took
place against them, as were the authorities. The Dutch community reported
that

łwhat we would never tolerate in Amsterdam from extreme right wing
protestors, that is carrying and shouting discriminatory and antisemitic
expressions, is tolerated from these protestors (Islamists and supporters of
Palestinian cause)Šthe wishy-washy way in which the police dealt with it all
is not surprising, we are used to that by now. It is something at least that
some signs were confiscated, but sadly most escaped this fate9.˛

Islamist Antisemitism



The vehicles for promoting Islamist antisemitism include: public
manifestations, such as rallies, meetings, demonstrations and speeches at
meetings; publications; the promotion of Holocaust denial, the promotion of a
boycott against Israel. For each of these areas of activity I shall provide
examples, which it is in