A few days before Holocaust Remembrance Day, 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%. The online surveys were done by Kantar.
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.
A majority in both countries expect the new government in Germany to continue Chancellor Angela Merkel’s approach towards Israel to continue, including her definition from 2008 of Israel’s existence being in Germany’s national interest. A majority of Jewish Israelis think that Merkel’s decision to take in refugees in 2015 was a mistake, citing as reason either a strengthening of radical Islamists or a demographic change within Germany. At the same time, support for Merkel’s decision (61 %) is very high among Arab Israelis.
France is viewed as the most antisemitic country among Israeli Jews (63%) and Israeli Arabs (55%). Among Germans, 45% of the respondents think that Israel´s existence is part of Germany´s national interest. Still, only 22% agree with their current government´s support of Israel in its military operation in Gaza. Half of French respondents believe their country has reconciled with its Vichy past, contrasting with 36% who disagree.
Fully 60% of Polish respondents view Poles as victims and saviors during the Holocaust, whereas a majority of Israeli respondents hold them accountable, similar to Germans. Polish respondents prefer Israeli youth visits with Polish guides, while in Israel, a majority agree, but with Israeli guides in charge, they are favored by one-third.
Among Jewish Israelis, most feel that the memory of the Holocaust affects German policy towards Israel in a positive way. However, they also expect the memory of the Holocaust in Germany to diminish or disappear. Among Germans, also a majority finds that the memory of the Holocaust impacts the relations between the countries and that Germany’s attitude towards Israel is more positive as compared to other countries.
When asked about the possibility of Germany as a mediator between Israel and other countries in the Middle East, about half of the Israeli respondents would like to see Germany involved. About the same percentage of German respondents would like to see their country in that role, while 40,5% are against it. Younger German respondents wish much more than older respondents regarding their country’s diplomatic involvement.
A little more than half of the German respondents agreed with their government’s declaration during the Gaza war in May 2021 in support of Israel’s right to defend itself. More men than women agree with that statement—more Germans without a history of migration and more respondents from the Western part of Germany than from the Eastern part.
Only a minority on both sides has actually visited the other country (30% of the Israeli respondents and 13.6% of the German respondents), and many of those who did are repeat visitors. On the German side, most of the respondents who have visited Israel are from the Western part of Germany, without a history of migration, and are 63 years old on average.
Exposure to, and knowledge about the culture of the other country is rather limited. Moreover, German respondents have difficulties distinguishing between Israeli and Jewish culture.
About 2/3 of Israeli respondents are indifferent to German-originated products, and another 9% actually prefer them. Only 7% totally avoid products made in Germany. About 60% are not bothered by hearing the German language in public, and less than 20% are always bothered. About 20% have friends or family members living in Germany, and about 60% feel that it is OK for an Israeli to live there.
A majority of the Germans (58%) agree that antisemitism is a problem today in their country. Most respondents (72%) see it emanating from the far right, followed by (70.1%) from the whole population and 58% from the Muslim minority. Many more respondents from the Western part of Germany see antisemitism as a problem than from the Eastern part, where men particularly stay behind, with only 38.5% agreeing.
Fully 66% of the German respondents think that Israel can be criticized without any connection to antisemitic attitudes. In Israel, also a majority does not see criticism of Israel necessarily as a form of antisemitism but feels that there can be, at least sometimes, a link between the two. Almost half of the Arab respondents do not make this link at all.
When asked about their perception of their own country, 21% of the Israeli respondents link Israel more with the US, 23% more with Europe, and 31% more with the Middle East. The perception of Israel as a Middle Eastern entity among Jews is more than twice that of Arabs.
Most Israelis view the European Union as a success, and only a small percentage see it as a failure, with similar results among Jewish and Arab respondents. The perception of success is highest among the 35-to-54 age group and decreases with Jewish religiosity. Half of the respondents feel that ties should be maintained with far-right-wing EU parties, and only a quarter think they should be severed.
Among Israelis, support of a nuclear agreement with Iran is very low, but there is a high rate of understanding that this is in the best interest of European countries
There is high variability regarding the perceived link between EU policies and antisemitism. In the Jewish sector, about one-third each view certain European responses as antisemitic (very high in the ultra-Orthodox/modern Orthodox group), as not antisemitic (very high in the secular group), or depending on context. In the Arab sector, very few view these policies as antisemitic.
Jewish life in Europe is expected to face more hostility in the future. 53% of Jewish respondents believe the situation of Jews in Europe will worsen, with only 25% believing things will stay the same. The older the respondent – and the more religiously Jewish they were – the more pessimistic their view on the situation. Among Arab respondents, the dominant perception was that the situation for Jews in Europe would stay the same (52%) or even improve (20%). Fully 70% of Jewish Israelis anticipate a worsening situation for European Jews, up from 53% in 2022, with pessimism increasing with age.
Almost 80% of all Jewish respondents could mention unaided at least one European country that has a positive attitude towards Israel and at least one that has a negative attitude, but the number of “pro” countries mentioned, on average, was much higher than that of “anti” countries. Among Arabs, almost 90% mentioned at least one “pro” country, or said “all countries”. Germany was among the first two countries (together with Greece) mentioned as a “pro” country.
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