Article Library / 2016

2016 Annual Assessment

As we integrate the data of the three dimensions, an aggregating picture emerges. Despite a larger number of annual incidents per 1000 Jews in UK than in France, French Jews feel more anxiety than British Jews. Unlike British Jews, French Jews feel that anti-Semitic discourse has spread into the national mainstream public sphere and have lost confidence in the ability of the national government to control the Muslim minority. Indeed, following Manuel Valls’ unambiguous statements and concrete actions, French Jews started regaining confidence in the French government’s commitment to protect them. Nevertheless, they are worried about the persistence of anti-Semitic violence and are still cautious about the capability of the police and security to contain social and violent manifestations of anti-Semitism.8 This discomfort fits with additional field survey findings. Following the 2015 terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, national surveys confirmed the spread of feelings of deep discomfort among French Jews and their heightened motivation to leave the country: 61 percent feel they “they would be more secure in Israel than in France” (for 40 percent of the general French population – Jews and non-Jews – expressed that “Jews are not safe in France”), while 80 percent of them “contemplate leaving the country” and half of them “consider Israel as their preferred destination.”9

Previous
Next