Islamophobia, anti-Semitism rises in EU amid Israel-Hamas war: Official
Hate speech targeting Muslims and Jews in Europe is rising as the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages, a European Union official tasked with combating Islamophobia has warned.
“We’ve seen a very clear rising trend of anti-Muslim hatred and anti-Semitic narratives. This hate speech ranges from microaggressions to clear threats and we’ve observed most of it happening on social media platforms,” Marion Lalisse told Al Jazeera.
“The hatred towards Muslims in particular, has to do with negative stereotypes considering Muslims as a monolithic group involved in violence. Such biases are spread across EU nations.”
Lalisse said research is needed on how Europeans are being educated on Muslims and Islam.
“I grew up in rural France which was very diverse and I was taught about the Muslim religion and culture of the people who follow this faith, in a manner which didn’t portray them as threats,” she told Al Jazeera.
“So in my role of combating anti-Muslim hatred, we are funding projects related to the remembrance of the past and analysing how history books in schools and universities in Europe portray Muslims.”
Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel one month ago; the current Israeli death toll exceeds 1,400.
After October 7, Israel in retaliation launched a massive bombing campaign of Gaza, in what it says is an effort to crush the Palestinian group that rules the strip.https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/7/islamophobia-anti-semitism-rises-in-europe-amid-israel-hamas-war-official#:~:text=Gaza%20is%20one,several%20European%20countries.
