Europe 1 with AFP 18:21 p.m., November 05, 2023

Tags, assaults, demonstrations, desecrations... The European Commission on Sunday condemned the "resurgence" of anti-Semitic acts since the outbreak of the conflict between the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and Israel, saying that "the Jews of Europe are once again living in fear."

"The upsurge in anti-Semitic incidents across Europe in recent days has reached exceptionally high levels, reminiscent of some of the darkest periods in history," the EU executive said in a statement.

"In these difficult times, the EU stands with its Jewish communities. We condemn these despicable acts in the strongest terms. They go against everything Europe stands for, our fundamental values, our way of life," he added.

257 anti-Semitic acts in Paris in the past month

They are contrary to "the (European) model of society based on equality, inclusion and full respect for human rights. Jew, Muslim, Christian, no one should live in fear of discrimination or violence because of their religion or identity," the Commission insisted.

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She cites Molotov cocktails thrown at a synagogue in Germany, graffiti depicting Stars of David on buildings in France, the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in Austria, attacks on shops and synagogues in Spain, and hostile slogans chanted at protests.

In France, since October 7, 857 anti-Semitic acts have been recorded, "as many in three weeks" as over "the whole past year," Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Tuesday. Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez said Sunday that there had been 257 anti-Semitic acts in the Paris area over the past month.

"We must fight against this rise in anti-Semitism"

A young woman of Jewish faith was stabbed Saturday at her home in Lyon (center-east of France), with a possible "anti-Semitic motive" according to the prosecutor's office. Anti-Semitic tags were also discovered on the walls of several schools in Strasbourg (eastern France), a police source said Friday.

"We need to fight against this rise in anti-Semitism, as well as the rise in anti-Muslim hatred that we have seen in recent weeks and which has no place in Europe," the Commission added.

Brussels recalls that it has tightened the regulation of internet platforms

"EU law criminalises public incitement to hatred and violence and sets out a common approach to tackle hate speech and racist and xenophobic crimes: ensuring its rigorous enforcement is more imperative than ever," the EU executive stresses.

In addition to its strategy against anti-Semitism put in place in 2021, Brussels also recalls that it has tightened the regulation of internet platforms in order to counter hate speech or disinformation online.