A new survey by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) and its European Forum (EF) showed that antisemitism is increasing in Europe. Still, the residents don’t agree on the cause.
The 2024 HU-EF Barometer, spearheaded by Prof. Gisela Dachs from the EF, conducted a comprehensive survey on mutual perceptions between Israel and several European countries, including Germany, Great Britain, France, and Poland.
The survey was conducted online between February and March 2024 in Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Poland. A total of 1,000 men and women from each country constituted a nationally representative sample of the adult population aged 18 and over. The maximum sampling error was 3.1% at a confidence level of 95%.
In France, 63%—a significant majority—recognizes antisemitism as a current problem, while in Germany, the rate is 59%, followed by Great Britain at 48% and Poland at 30%.
The perceived sources of this bigotry vary, with German respondents pointing to both the far right and Muslim migrants, while British and French respondents predominantly blame the migrants. German respondents identify the far right (48%) and Muslim migrants (45%) as primary contributors. In Britain, 39% expressed uncertainty, while 25% attributed it to Muslim migrants. French respondents largely attribute it to Muslim migrants (31%), with 26% either uncertain or attributing it to the general population. In Poland, 31% implicate the far right, 27% are uncertain, and 26% identify Muslim immigrants as the source.
Only a small minority disagreed with the statement that “Jews [in each respective country] are loyal to Israel first. The majority neither agreed nor disagreed, while more than a third affirmed the statement.
Disturbingly, 59% of Polish and 41% of German respondents have never met a Jew or Israeli, with older Germans (47%) and younger Poles (63%) comprising the majority. The researchers said that their poll underscores the complexity and urgency of addressing antisemitism in contemporary Europe.
