Jihadist terrorism represents the most serious terrorist threat facing Jewish communities in Europe, according to a new report by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) and the European Jewish Congress (EJC), reports The Jerusalem Post.
The study examined offline antisemitic incidents recorded across all European Union member states, as well as the United Kingdom and Switzerland, between 1 January and 31 December 2025. Researchers from the ICCT worked alongside the European Jewish Congress’s Security and Crisis Centre (SACC) to assess the nature of antisemitic activity and the threats facing Jewish communities.
The report identified 254 antisemitic incidents during the year, although the authors caution that the true figure is likely to be considerably higher because many victims do not report what they experience.
Incidents were recorded consistently throughout the year, averaging 21 each month. December saw the highest number, with 36 incidents, followed by September with 33, while February recorded the fewest, with nine.
According to the report, the relatively even distribution demonstrates that antisemitism is not simply a reaction to major geopolitical events but has become a persistent feature of everyday life for many Jewish communities across Europe.
Cases were recorded in every country included in the study. Germany reported the largest number of incidents with 58, followed by France with 54, Italy with 29 and the United Kingdom with 27. Together, Germany and France accounted for almost half of all recorded cases.
When adjusted for population size, France recorded the highest rate of incidents, followed by Bulgaria and Greece. Researchers found that physical assaults were particularly common in France, while vandalism accounted for a large portion of incidents in Italy and the Netherlands.
Vandalism was by far the most common form of antisemitic activity, making up 131 of the 254 recorded incidents. Holocaust memorials were the most frequent targets, accounting for 41 cases. Synagogues were targeted 23 times, while Jewish cemeteries were vandalised on 11 occasions.
The report documented 48 physical assaults, many involving knives or blunt objects such as bottles, although most did not meet the legal threshold for terrorism. Researchers also recorded 40 incidents of hate speech, 21 cases of harassment and 14 incidents that could not be placed within predefined categories.
While terrorist attacks represented only a small proportion of all recorded incidents, the report concludes that the terrorist threat facing European Jews remains significant.
During 2025, two antisemitic terrorist attacks inspired by the Islamic State were recorded: the stabbing near Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in February, in which the attacker later stated that he intended to kill Jews, and the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester.
The report also highlights the growing threat posed by state-sponsored terrorism. It points to attacks linked to Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI), a group believed to have connections with Iran, as evidence that state-backed actors continue to pose a serious danger to Jewish communities in Europe.
Nevertheless, the researchers conclude that jihadist terrorism currently represents the greatest terrorist threat. They identify organisations including al-Qaeda, Islamic State (IS), its Afghan affiliate Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), and Hamas as the principal extremist movements driving this threat. The report also notes recent multinational law enforcement operations targeting alleged Hamas networks operating in several European countries, particularly Germany and the Netherlands.
By contrast, the report says antisemitic activity associated with the far left more commonly involves vandalism and damage to property than plans for indiscriminate mass-casualty attacks.
Researchers also examined how European authorities responded to antisemitic incidents. Approximately three-quarters of recorded cases led to police investigations, while suspects were arrested at the scene in 36 incidents, mainly involving assaults or harassment. In the Manchester terrorist attack, the attacker was shot dead by police.
Despite these responses, around two-thirds of recorded cases still had no identified suspect at the time the report was published.
Of the 31 cases that proceeded to court during the reporting period, seven resulted in prison sentences, two ended with financial penalties and three concluded with acquittals.
Although much attention has focused on antisemitism online, the report stresses that antisemitic hatred continues to manifest itself frequently in the physical world. It concludes that governments and civil society organisations must continue to confront all forms of antisemitism while strengthening measures to protect Jewish communities across Europe.
Photo credit: REUTERS/HEIKO BECKER
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