Israel’s Mission to the European Union and NATO has highlighted growing antisemitism on university campuses as a major concern during annual discussions with European Commission officials on combating anti-Jewish hatred and protecting Jewish life in Europe, reports Jewish News Syndicate.
The annual seminar, which has brought together Israeli and European Union representatives for the past 16 years, took place this year amid continued concern over rising antisemitic incidents across Europe following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Ahead of the meeting, Israel’s Mission to the EU and NATO warned that efforts to combat antisemitism must go beyond responding to individual incidents and should address the underlying causes of hatred through education and awareness, particularly within schools and universities.
The Mission said universities had increasingly become environments where Jewish students experience harassment, intimidation, discrimination, hate speech, and, in some cases, physical attacks. It warned that many Jewish communities across Europe are facing levels of antisemitic hostility not seen since the Holocaust.
Israel has also criticised certain European governments for rhetoric and policies that it argues contribute to hostility towards Jews and Israel. This includes criticism of statements by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who previously described Israel as a “genocidal state,” as well as decisions by some countries to recognise a Palestinian state.
The Israeli government has additionally criticised Belgium over what it sees as tolerance of antisemitism, including legal action taken against three mohels, Jewish ritual circumcisers, over allegations that they carried out circumcisions unlawfully.
Magnus Brunner, who hosted the seminar, said the gathering provided an important opportunity to examine current threats and challenges facing Jewish communities.
He stated that antisemitism has no place in Europe and stressed the importance of continuing efforts to protect Jewish life.
Israel’s Mission to the EU and NATO expressed appreciation to Brunner for hosting the event and also thanked Katharina von Schnurbein for her continued work in tackling antisemitism across Europe.
The discussions reflect a growing concern among European and Israeli officials that antisemitism must be addressed not only through law enforcement and security measures, but also through educational institutions where hostile attitudes towards Jewish students are increasingly being reported.
Photo credit: Canaan Lidor
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