Report of the European Commission: Hostility towards Jews on the streets of European cities. The smallest problem is in Poland

Nine out of ten European Jews believe that anti-Semitism in the European Union has increased over the past five years, according to a report published on Monday by the European Commission.

The report was prepared by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. It reached 16,400 individuals who identify as being Jewish and live in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. As the authors emphasize, these Member States are home to over 96 % of the EU’s estimated Jewish population.

The number of respondents to the survey varies from country to country. Most of them are from Great Britain (over 4.7 thousand people) and France (over 3.8 thousand), and the least from Poland - 422 people.

The survey was available to respondents online for seven weeks between May and June 2018. It was open to individuals aged 16 years and over who consider themselves Jewish – based on religion, culture, upbringing, ethnicity, parentage or any other reason – and who, at the time of the survey, were living in one of the survey countries.

The survey shows that nine out of ten respondents believe that Antisemitism in the EU has increased over the past five years. Over a third avoid taking part in Jewish events or visiting Jewish sites because they fear for their safety and feel insecure. Around 90% of respondents feel it is particularly problematic online, while about 70% cite public spaces, the media and politics as common sources of antisemitism.79% of Jews who have experienced anti-Semitic persecution in the last five years have not reported it to the police or any other organisation.

38% of respondents consider emigration because they do not feel safe in Europe. 70% believe that the steps taken by EU countries to fight Antisemitism are not effective. The report shows that 95% of French respondents believe that anti-Semitism is now a big or very big problem in their country. Belgium (86%) and Germany (85%) are next in this ranking. Most Jews from France are also of the opinion that over the last 5 years anti-Semitism in their countries has increased significantly (77% of the respondents are of the opinion). Jews from Poland (61%) and Belgium (60%) are also convinced that anti-Semitism has increased significantly over the last 5 years.

Manifestation of hostility towards Jews on the streets and in other public places is considered a „very big” or „quite big problem” by a large majority of respondents in France (91%), Belgium (81%), Germany (80%) and the Netherlands (71%), but less in Poland (37%), Hungary (46%) and Denmark (47%).

At a conference in the European Commission building, the report was commented on by Commission’s First Vice President Frans Timmermans, and European Commissioner for Justice Viera Jourova.

Jourova said that 70 years after the Holocaust, she was deeply saddened that 9 out of 10 Jews in Europe say that Antisemitism has increased over the past five years.

The Jewish community should feel at home and safe in Europe, whether they are on the way to the synagogue or surfing online. The Commission is acting together with Member States to counter the rise of anti-Semitism, to fight holocaust denial and to guarantee that Jews have the full support of the authorities to keep them safe. (…) The survey has shown that in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany people feel a threat to their safety, which is very strong and serious. If there are places in Europe where 85% of people say that their biggest concern is that they do not feel safe and are afraid of physical threat or real violence, then these figures are alarming. This applies primarily to Western European countries.

— she pointed out.

I’m deeply concerned about the growth of Antisemitism as concluded by the report of the Fundamental Rights Agency. It is essential that we combat this scourge forcefully and collectively. The Jewish community must feel safe and at home in Europe. If we cannot achieve this, Europe ceases to be Europe

— said Timmermans.

 Tłum. K.J.