OPINION: Rising antisemitism weakens our societies
EXCLUSIVE: Against a backdrop of increasing antisemitism in their countries, senior ministers and politicians from the UK, Germany and France reflect on the world's oldest hatred poses to Jews and non-Jews
Today, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Declaration. In the two decades that have passed since OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) member states adopted this formative document on understanding and combatting antisemitism, we have seen an almost constant rise in antisemitic crime and incidents all over the world, both in terms of quantity and intensity.
As if the authors of the Berlin Declaration had predicted this terrible development, they had included in the document all relevant aspects of what we consider the basis of combatting antisemitism today: to promote understanding of antisemitism as a form of hatred connecting many different kinds of political and religious extremism and which changes according to current public debates, to create legal structures that permit an effective fight against Jew hatred, to enable reliable data collection on antisemitic incidents, and to ensure education on antisemitism and how to fight it.
So, despite its comparably old age, we should continue to act in the spirit and on the basis of the Berlin Declaration, especially today, when we see levels of discrimination, hatred, and violence against Jews we have not experienced since the end of the Shoah.
The current rise of antisemitic acts in our countries is wide-ranging. Since the Hamas terrorist attacks of 7 October, antisemitic comments and hate are spread across all social media platforms. In France, 75 percent of these reported contents were identified on X (formerly Twitter). On YouTube, there were reports about a fifty-fold increase in antisemitic contents, including direct threats against Jewish institutions and individuals.
But what is said online rarely stays online: antisemitism is also on the rise in our streets. It includes physical abuse, criminal damage to property. Even on our university campuses, intimidation and violence against students are reported. This concerns us all, in all countries, in all regions. In the United Kingdom, for the first time ever, antisemitic incidents were recorded in every single police region in the UK. In Germany, antisemitic incidents have risen by 320%.
Between the Hamas attack and the end of January 2024, in Germany 2249 antisemitic crimes have been committed, most of them related to the conflict in the Middle East. It calls us to raise awareness at school. In France, 40 percent of the antisemitic acts committed at school make the apology of Nazism.
Antisemitism is pernicious and sends the message that some people deserve to be targeted solely because of who they are or who they are believed to be. Antisemitism has a deep impact on victims. Those who commit antisemitic acts also attack the fundamental values that underpin our diverse society, values of acceptance and respect for others.
Antisemitism reflects on us as a society. It can cause lasting physical and emotional damage. It provokes despair, anger, and anxiety in victims, and spreads fear and mistrust in communities, thus weakening the glue that binds our societies together. It strikes at the heart of our democracies by undermining the fundamental rights of equality and non-discrimination. Those who target Jews target our societies and peaceful co-existence within them as a whole.
That is why we reaffirm our commitment to fight against all discriminations and our commitment to this universal objective which is the fight against all forms of hatred. That is why we need to reinforce our different structures targeting antisemitism, such as National Action Plans, National Coordinators, the promotion of the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism entailing all forms of antisemitism, and legal frameworks, and, which are so important and why we encourage all countries to establish them in consultation with their civil societies.
We encourage relevant authorities, universities, councils, or companies to work together, to support their Jewish colleagues, employees, or students. In France, this will be at the heart of the national Convention against antisemitism which will be organized (« les Assises de l’Antisémitisme ») on May 6th.
National Action Plans addressing antisemitism should be at the heart of what we do.
We all value our Jewish communities and without them we would all be diminished. If we lose the battle against antisemitism, we lose our democracies.
- Aurore Bergé Minister in charge of Equality and the Fight against Discrimination- France; Felix Klein is Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism; Lord Eric Pickles United Kingdom’s Post Holocaust Issues Envoy
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.