European anti-Semitism • France most dangerous country for Jews

A sharp rise in anti-Semitism around the world, the most anti-Semitic country is France, according to a report of anti-Semitism to be brought today (Sunday) to discussion by the government on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

According to the report, submitted by the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs in cooperation with the Forum for Coordination of Struggle against Anti-Semitism, there has been a sharp increase in anti-Semitism in 2014, cases of street harassment and incidents against Jews including verbal and physical violence, bred mainly in Western Europe.

As it turns out Islamic anti-Semitism takes its place as the leading anti-Semitism in the West, and most of the reported incidents were carried out by Muslims, especially in countries with large Muslim communities.

In July and August, during the Solid Rock Operation, there was a jump of 400 percent in the rate of anti-Semitic incidents, compared with last year.

According to statistics France is most dangerous country for Jews today, its level of anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish violence which has reached new peaks.

The rate of anti-Semitic incidents in the country increased by 100 percent, and half of all incidents classified as racist incidents are directed against Jews, although they are less than one percent of the population.

According to the report, during 2014 there were 1,000 anti-Semitic incidents in different categories, which included dozens of violent attacks. Dozens of Jews were beaten or attacked with cold weapons, and Molotov cocktails were thrown at synagogues and Jewish businesses.

So too, according to a report presented by the World Zionist Organization, it stems that many of the Jews of the world fear their identification as Jews.

A questionnaire distributed indicates that the level of anxiety of the world's Jews from anti-Semitism has risen. In Germany, about 57% of respondents reported that they or someone they know have experienced an anti-Semitic incident and approximately 36% of these events were of a violent nature. 48% of respondents reported that they do not feel safe, and 43% are afraid to walk around the street with Jewish symbols.

In England, 70% of respondents reported that they or someone they know have experienced an anti-Semitic incident, and about 41% of the respondents reported that they did not report the incident for fear of harassment. 45% of respondents reported that they do not feel safe, and about 37% of respondents are afraid to walk around with Jewish symbols.

More than 50% of respondents in South America reported that they or someone they know have experienced an anti-Semitic incident. In Chile, 70% of respondents reported that they or someone they know have experienced anti-Semitism and about 42% of respondents reported that they are afraid to walk around with Jewish symbols. In Uruguay, 72% of respondents reported that they or someone they know have experienced an anti-Semitic incident and 55% of respondents reported that the incidents were not reported, because there is no trust in the system.

Head of operations and combat against anti-Semitism of the WZO in Israel, Yaakov Haguel said: "We have recently seen a significant increase in manifestations of anti-Semitism around the world. The dimensions of the phenomenon and its scale have crossed borders and the next disaster may come from an unexpected direction. The government of Israel has to advance the fight against anti-Semitism around the world and strengthen the Jews in the Diaspora. We can not remain indifferent to the spreading phenomenon of hatred of Jews simply because they are Jews and we can not let the events of the past repeat themselves."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!