Europe is fast becoming a dark continent for Jews. That is the picture painted by a new survey from the European Agency for Fundamental Rights, released to coincide with the anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogroms that took place in Germany 75 years ago.
Among the survey’s most startling revelations, and there are many, is that a large number of European Jews are considering leaving because of the persecution they experience in the countries they currently live in. The survey also shows a clear link between the demonization of Israel and attacks on Jews in Europe. Ironically, the upshot of all this anti-Zionist Jew hatred could well be the strengthening of the Jewish State as a growing number of European Jews seek a place of refuge.
The survey of 5,847 Jewish individuals across eight major European countries, found that 66% of European Jews say that anti-Semitism is a problem in their country and 75% say it is on the rise. Large numbers said that they no longer bother to report these attacks to the authorities, 27% said these incidents happen too routinely to be worthy of being reported.
As a result of all this some 68% of the Jews in this study say they have avoided appearing identifiably Jewish in public for fear of attack or harassment. 49% of those who have experienced anti-Semitism say they now avoid certain areas or neighbourhoods to stay safe.
Similarly, when it comes to circumcision there is a clear double standard in operation. The genuinely barbaric practice of female genital mutilation is illegal across most European countries. Yet, the authorities systematically turn a blind eye when they know this practice is happening in Islamic communities. Rather than actually enforce this law they are instead devising new laws against Jewish male circumcision.
The ideology that underlies the European Union and the universalist culture championed by Europe’s cultural elites is naturally and necessarily inclined against Jews. It views Jews parochial and anachronistic, inward looking and wedded to backward traditions. Europe’s multiculturalism will make allowances for Third World minority groups who are to be viewed as victims and not to be held to the same standards as everyone else. Jews are perceived as white and wealthy and thus are expected to toe the liberal, secular, integrationist line.
It was recently reported that anti-Israel activists in Ireland have taken to placing yellow stickers on Israeli products. Once Europeans placed yellow badges on Jews, now they just place yellow stickers on Jewish products. What progress! Yet these things have consequences.