The number of anti-Semitic acts has exploded in France since October 7, 2023 and the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, followed by the war in Gaza, according to figures from the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (Crif) established from official data.
The targets are multiple: a last name or first name, religious traditions or practices, lifestyles, physical appearance, a profession or any other sign considered Jewish.
And the hatred is then expressed on all channels, tags, insults, degradations and even attacks targeting members of the Jewish community.
“Anti-Semitism is racism like any other.
These are the same mechanisms with other prejudices.
Concerning the Jews, it is that
they are rich
,
at the head of the media
and
of power
”, details the historian Carole Reynaud-Paligot, author in particular of “How do we become racist?
".
Also read: Anti-Semitic acts up 1,000% since Hamas attacks
This rise in anti-Semitism is also found on the Internet.
“75% of content advocating terrorism and hating Jews is on Twitter,” declared the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, in November.
Insult committed against a person or group of people because of their origin or their belonging or non-membership, true or supposed, to a specific ethnic group, nation, race or religion, is punishable by six month in prison and 22,500 euros fine if it is public.
The death threats included five years of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.
“The conflict between Hamas and Israel has reactivated anti-Semitic speech.
This does not mean that it is support for the Palestinian people, it is only a pretext for some, particularly on the far right, who have always advocated a rejection of the other and of difference,” adds the historian, which also reminds us that “we can criticize the Israeli government without being anti-Semitic”.