The Working Group against Antisemitism (WGAS) expresses its deepest concern over the sharp increase in antisemitic attacks targeting Jewish communities across Europe and worldwide and urgently calls on EU Member States to take effective and immediate measures to safeguard their citizens and strengthen the security of Jewish institutions amid ongoing terrorist threats.
“In the current climate of escalating and normalised antisemitism, often in the name of anti-Zionism, WGAS stands in full solidarity with Jewish minorities across Europe. WGAS vows to continue its work to highlight and combat what must never be accepted, in order to ensure that Jews can once again live freely, safely, and without fear in Europe,” said WGAS Chair and MEP Alice Teodorescu Måwe.
In recent months, Jewish institutions, schools, and synagogues have faced violence, intimidation, and threats. Incidents including shootings, explosions, and physical assaults underscore the urgent need for concrete protective measures.
The attacks in Amsterdam, London, Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Liège, as well as the horrific massacres in Manchester and Bondi Beach, where Jewish individuals were targeted and killed for practising their faith, showcase how hatred and violent extremism can have deadly consequences.
WGAS condemns these attacks in the strongest possible terms and calls on national governments, local authorities, and law enforcement agencies to immediately enhance security at Jewish institutions, schools, and synagogues, as well as to provide increased funding and resources for protective measures and emergency preparedness. Jewish communities should not have to fend for their own security; it is the responsibility of the state to ensure their safety.
Law enforcement personnel must be trained to recognise and respond effectively to antisemitism, using the IHRA definition. Authorities should monitor and take action against extremist organisations, especially those with ties to terrorism such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Samidoun, which should be effectively banned across the entire EU.
Social media companies must also be held accountable for the spread of antisemitic hate speech and the glorification of terrorist acts, in line with the EU Digital Services Act. At the same time, governments and institutions should promote intelligence-sharing and cooperation at national and European levels to prevent attacks and disrupt extremist networks.
In this troubling climate of normalisation of antisemitism in our societies, WGAS stands in full solidarity with Jewish communities across Europe.
Antisemitism has no place in our societies, and Jewish citizens must be able to live freely, safely, and without fear. It is the responsibility of governments, institutions, and civil society to ensure that their security is never compromised.
WGAS is an informal cross-party alliance of Members of the European Parliament dedicated to raising awareness and contributing to strengthening the fight against antisemitism in the European Union.