Who is fueling the sudden outbreak of European Jew hatred?

When considering the past year of non-stop anti-Israel protests, followed by very recent attacks against Jews in Amsterdam, Sweden and Berlin, you might need to go back to the age-old question of what came first – the chicken or the egg?

Was the influx of millions of extremist migrants pouring into Europe, the U.S., Australia, Canada and other countries, throughout the world, responsible for a toxic influence of anti-Israel sentiment which spread amongst the native-born citizens of those nations? Or was there a dormant loathing against Jews, quietly waiting to emerge under the right circumstances?

It's a worthy question to explore, because it’s one thing to expect extreme Muslim populations, indoctrinated in their native lands, to believe that Jews are an evil enemy, who need to be eradicated. But it’s entirely another thing to discover that the local population suppressed an aversion towards the Jews who live among them, finally able to express their true inner feelings.

Take, for example, a rally which took place in May, 2022 at Amsterdam’s Dam Square, commemorating Nakba Day, better known as the Palestinian catastrophe, when Israel declared itself a sovereign, independent state in 1948. Local Palestinians publicly flew their flags, banners and chanted anti-Israel sentiment, an event which was, surely, filmed and reported on their evening news.  

Dutch citizen, Thomas Hofland, who organized and headed the local Samidoun Netherlands chapter, spoke, lending credibility to the rhetoric that his country, once an imperialistic entity, is guilty of inferior treatment towards the local Muslim community.  How many of his fellow countrymen was he able to convince as he advocated for the same individuals who hunted down Israeli tourists who attended a soccer match in his country?

Jerusalem Post, Editor-in-Chief, Zvika Klein claims that these incidents are not a one-off but rather “an alarming sign of how deeply anti-Israel sentiment has infiltrated Dutch society, from fringe activism into mainstream public spaces, social media and even legal channels. A highly classified report, written in May 2024 and obtained by the Post paints a disturbing picture of rising anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism in the Netherlands.”  (Secret Israeli gov’t report exposes Dutch anti-Israel sentiment spiraling out of control, JPost, Nov. 8, 2024)

When and how did that start? Because the last time most Jews thought about Amsterdam, they connected it to the home of Anne Frank who, during the Nazi occupation, was forced to go into hiding, with her family, in an attic which every Jew who’s ever visited in that city, has made their way to see. The fact that the house has been preserved, just as it was, back in the 1940s, caused us to believe that Holland wanted the world to remember the terrible things that took place in their country by Jew haters, so that they would never again repeat such despicable acts.

So, how did this newfound hatred develop in Europe, and specifically in the place which sought to put it on full display as something to be shamed? According to the report, there has been a “coordinated campaign led by key figures who have embedded anti-Israel rhetoric into Dutch social and public discourse.” 

For anyone reading between the lines, that means that some local leaders have been unduly influenced by those who believe that the Netherlands share a measure of responsibility for treating their Muslim community in an inferior manner. This, first and foremost has focused on the relationship between the State of Israel and Holland, undermining any positive image which it might have enjoyed, prior to the toxic influence injected into Dutch society.

How else would anti-Israel sentiment have become embedded if not adopted and advanced by local community leaders? Were they fearful of their Muslim neighbors, hoping to live peaceably by appeasing them or did they always have an inclination of distrust and repugnance towards Israel and the Jewish community at large? 

Over the course of the last 25 years, Muslims have made their way to the Netherlands, today comprising around 6% of its 17.1 million residents, with about 149,00 of them residing in the capital city of Amsterdam. There are an estimated 450 to 500 mosques throughout the country, making Islam the second largest religion in there, according to Wikipedia.  

Although many Internet sites report that they are successfully integrated into Dutch society, the JPost classified document seems to contradict those claims with its description of “an increasingly hostile environment where anti-Israel sentiment isn’t just tolerated but, at times, is celebrated and encouraged.”

Just who is behind that push? According to the JPost article, Hamas’s tentacles have reached “prominent Dutch circles,” via their operatives, meaning that they have succeeded in influencing the local community members to support their narrative and version of events. This includes joining forces well-positioned people, such as the widow of the former European Central Bank president who, herself, has held anti-Israel opinions.  

In addition, Thomas van Gool, a Dutch peace activist and human rights’ promoter, is involved in the promotion of the Palestinian cause, attending pro-Hamas events and pushing for a total embargo on Israel. Greatly influenced by these activists are the next generation of Dutch youth who seem to be enthralled by joining a resistance movement, much like their American counterparts on university campuses. 

Together, these native Dutch citizens are creating a dangerous and deceptive image makeover of the strangers in their midst, who would happily turn on them in a heartbeat if it wasn’t for their more pressing goal of damaging Israel and Jews. What may have begun as a show of solidarity has now morphed into a full-on defense of Palestinians, to the point of massive fundraising for their cause and, the predictable scapegoating. In that regard, there has even been a concerted effort to legally accuse Israel of war crimes and human rights abuses, hoping to arrest any Israeli leaders who visit the Netherlands.  

Holland is not alone in all of this. It’s a well-known fact that Muslim populations have taken over entire areas of major European cities, to the point that local police will not even approach those venues.

So, who is fueling the sudden outbreak of European anti-Israel sentiment? Clearly, it is a combined effort of native-born locals who have joined forces with their Muslim neighbors while the government mostly remains silent in the face of a growing threat. 

There’s no doubt that after last Thursday’s attack, few Israelis will be returning to the land of windmills and dikes, but what will become of the vulnerable local Jewish community there and throughout the continent? It might be a good time for them to consider the pain of life in an attic as the result of waiting too long to escape the evil of Jew hatred.