Words without actions

On this mournful day, world leaders have spoken out about the tragedy. Their statements are full of sympathy and condemnation of terror. However, these same politicians have pursued policies over the past two years that have effectively legitimized anti-Israel sentiments and created a breeding ground for a new surge of anti-Semitism.

Anti-Semitism spirals out of control

The scale of what is happening is both impressive and horrifying:

Germany. Opposition leader Friedrich Merz spoke of a “new wave of anti-Semitism” in the country. According to police data, in the first nine months of 2024 alone, Germany recorded 3,200 crimes motivated by anti-Semitism.

United Kingdom. The NHS healthcare system has been unable to protect Jewish patients from discrimination and hostility from both staff and other patients. Jewish medical workers and patients report systematic cases of anti-Semitism in hospitals.

Amsterdam. In November 2024, mass riots occurred when Jewish fans of the football club “Maccabi” were subjected to organized attacks. People were chased through the streets, beaten, some jumped into canals to escape their pursuers. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands called it a “terrible anti-Semitic attack”.

France. In 2024, about 1,570 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded — a historically high level. 65% of all religiously motivated attacks in France are directed against Jews, even though they make up less than 1% of the population. Synagogues are set on fire, swastikas are drawn on them, Holocaust memorials are desecrated.

Europe as a whole. According to a study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), conducted in the first half of 2023 among nearly 8,000 Jews from 13 European countries, 96% of respondents encountered manifestations of anti-Semitism in everyday life even before October 7, 2023. Eight out of ten Jews claim that anti-Semitism has intensified. After the Hamas attack, the situation only worsened.

The progressive veneer of old hatred

The level of hatred towards Jews increasingly resembles what we observed on the eve of the Holocaust, only now it is presented in a fashionable progressive wrapper. Anti-Semitism is disguised as criticism of Israel, as a fight for Palestinian rights, as anti-colonialism. Today, the only form of discrimination that is not only tolerated but encouraged in supposedly progressive circles is anti-Semitism.

On university campuses, in cultural institutions, on the streets of European capitals, calls for the destruction of Israel are openly heard. Jewish students are forced to hide their identity. Parents are afraid to send their children to Jewish schools. Synagogues are turning into fortresses.

The paradox of our time

Two years ago, the world shuddered at the horror that occurred. Today, we see how this horror is normalized, how terror is justified, how victims are blamed. History repeats itself, and the question remains the same: how many more victims are needed for the world to finally say “enough”?

Memory is not only about mourning. It is about responsibility.