Not Weclome in Europe
Israelis need to stay in Israel this summer. Here's why
Israelis traveling in Europe are forced to deal with antisemitic incidents, and in some cases, even criminal investigations. Artists' performances are canceled, Israelis are expelled from restaurants and others are removed from planes in shame.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing rise in antisemitism cases in Europe, reports are also increasing of incidents specifically targeting Israelis. Some of the events have a distinctly criminal nature, while others are accompanied by legal actions against soldiers, including reservists, based on their military service, according to a new report by Walla.
Some of the harassment is designed to disturb, to broadcast "You are not wanted here" and in several cases have already caused official authorities to issue apologies to Israelis on one hand, and condemnations to locals on the other. A recent report from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism shows about 14.7 million antisemitic mentions on social networks in the month preceding the report's publication and about 2.8 million mentions from which emerges de-legitimization of the State of Israel. But this multi-arena campaign also included violent attacks that miraculously did not claim human lives.
The ongoing war in Gaza and the suffering of the civilian population there are the background for the new antisemitism and the excuse for harassment directed at Israelis, including citizens who have no hand or foot in the fighting.
Walla compiled a partial list of the recent incidents, indexed by country:
Belgium:
- Israeli DJ Skazi's (Asher Swissa) performance at Tomorrowland festival was canceled for "security reasons" after a Belgian pro-Palestinian organization called for a boycott
- Two young Israelis were detained for investigation after displaying a Givati Brigade flag at the same festival
Netherlands:
- Complaints filed against the same two young men claiming they crossed from Belgium to Holland
- Separate complaint against a reserve air force officer who attended a technology conference
Cyprus:
- Complaint filed against an Israeli tourist who served in Gaza, a Druze paratrooper from the Galilee
Greece:
- Israeli cruise ship "Crown Iris" was forced to sail away from Siros island due to pro-Palestinian protests
- Young Israeli claims he was attacked on a beach near Athens by a Syrian on nationalist and anti-Israeli grounds
- Masked pro-Palestinian activists broke into a kosher restaurant owned by Israelis in Athens, spray-painted threats
Britain:
- London club canceled a Jewish musical performance following criticism against Israel
France:
- Pro-Palestinian campaign against Israeli cycling team "Israel Premier Tech" participating in Tour de France
- Israeli rabbi attacked in Orleans when leaving synagogue with his 9-year-old son
Spain:
- Israelis expelled from restaurant in Vigo with shouts of "Go eat in Gaza"
- About 50 Jewish/Israeli children aged 13-15 from France were removed from a Vueling Airlines flight in Valencia after singing in Hebrew
Germany:
- Spanish tourist stabbed twice near Holocaust memorial in Berlin by 19-year-old Syrian refugee
Portugal:
- Complaint filed against Israeli tourist described as a "sniper who committed war crimes"
Austria:
Italy:
French father and son attacked when trying to use the restroom.
It's a scary time to be Jewish, but not when you compare it to history, the main difference being that now we have our own country, and soldiers who will quite literally sacrifice their lives so we can keep living here.