Antisemitism and Islamophobia thrive one year after 7 October

By Rajnish Singh

With violence erupting in the Middle East following the brutal attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October, and its unprecedented military response, hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim people in the EU are increasing.

The EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) released a report in July, stating that Jewish people had experienced increased antisemitic incidents since October 2023, with some organisations reporting an increase of more than 400%.

The FRA questioned more than 8,000 Jewish people across 13 member states - with 96% saying they had encountered antisemitism in their daily lives. Harassment and violence mostly took place in streets, parks, or shops. 75% of people questioned felt they were held responsible for the Israeli government’s actions because they are Jewish. Such were the levels of danger people sensed, the majority hid their identity and avoided Jewish events or sites because they did not feel safe.

The rise in Islamophobia has mirrored antisemitism. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in their 2023 report warned that hate incidents against Muslims had increased ‘manyfold’. European Muslims were blamed for the actions of Hamas and suffered prejudice based on stereotypes of connections to terrorism.

These tensions have influenced domestic politics in many European countries, with both the far-left and far-right trying to make political gains, often using incendiary language about Israel or Muslim communities.

Some parties on the far-right have quietly dropped their traditional antisemitic rhetoric, and are now championing themselves as the protector of the Jews in Europe, against Muslims and immigration. Member of the European Parliament (Denmark/PfE) Anders Vistisen said on X that “Violent assaults, hatred of Jews, Islamist propaganda and a society in division. This is what Muslim immigration has done to Denmark."

Following 7 October, Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) called for a cut in aid and humanitarian funding to Palestinians. The party even submitted proposals to halt money going towards the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), though it was eventually rejected.

In France, although the leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) Marine Le Pen has distanced herself from the racist and anti-semitic comments of her father Jean-Marie, antisemitism and a direct Nazi legacy still continues in her party.

Across Europe, the far-left has increasingly courted votes from pro-Palestinian supporters. La France Insoumise (LFI), a big winner in both the European and French elections, has made support for the Palestinians a central aspect of its political campaigning. It has pushed policies such as an arms embargo and sanctions against Israel, and recognition of a Palestinian state. But it does not call Hamas a terrorist group.

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