The Center for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI) recorded a significant increase in the number of antisemitic incidents in 2023 in the Netherlands, especially in schools. There were reported five times as many incidents as the previous year.
CIDI received 1550 reports, of which 379 met the definition of antisemitism. This is nearly 2.5 times more than in 2022.
The number of antisemitic incidents particularly increased after the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7th and the subsequent war in Gaza, but a rising trend was already evident before that. Until October 7th, there were already nearly as many incidents as in 2022.
CIDI considers the increase in schools to be the most concerning. Jewish students were insulted, threatened, bullied, and sometimes even assaulted by fellow students because of their Jewish background.
The organisation received accounts from Jewish students who felt compelled to change schools, stayed home for long periods out of fear, or even changed their surnames.
According to CIDI, there is a lack of knowledge and determination among teachers to address the issue and create a safe school environment.
Antisemitism on social media, including in the form of conspiracy theories, can partly explain the increase in antisemitism in schools.
Interim Minister Yesilgöz of Justice and Security says in response to the figures that young people need to learn more about, for example, the persecution of Jews during the Second World War, both at school and at home.
Antisemitism is punishable by law, and Yesilgöz says that perpetrators are indeed caught and convicted. However, she hears in the Jewish community that fewer and fewer people are willing to file complaints because they feel that nothing is being done. She says she wants to address this with the police and judiciary.
