The terrorist attack in Israel on October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza have led to increased attacks on Jews around the world. This is not a new trend. When conflict happens in Israel and Palestine the result is often rising numbers of attacks and threats.
In 2016, a study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights stated that “events in the Middle East can trigger antisemitic sentiment in the EU”. This was clear in western Europe, and less so in Hungary and Poland.
Increased conflict or wars in the Middle East do not create “prejudice against or hatred of Jews” (one definition of antisemitism) but trigger a pre-existing negative attitude that can manifest itself in threats.
