EU, UN smears of Israel are endangering European Jews, Jewish leaders warn

European Jewish Congress slams EU and UN leaders for attacks on Israel, including claims of Gaza famine, saying they fuel antisemitism in Europe.

By World Israel News Staff

European Jewish leaders took aim at the United Nations and European Union Wednesday, accusing both of anti-Israel bias and promoting anti-Israel canards that are fueling antisemitism against Jews in Europe.

In a statement released by the European Jewish Congress Wednesday, European Jewish leaders called on EU leaders and UN representatives to stop making what the EJC called “incendiary statements with little basis in fact” regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza “which unjustly single out Israel.”

EJC President Dr. Ariel Muzicant said that the disproportionate criticism of Israel by senior EU and UN figures was “the main contributory factor” to the surge in antisemitism on the continent.

“The constant flow of Israel-bashing by senior leaders in the EU and the UN with little to no criticism of Hamas terror is clearly the main contributory factor to huge growth in antisemitism recorded by all European Jewish communities since October 7 last year,” Muzicant said.

“EU and UN leaders should take care with language which easily transfers to physical attacks on European Jews.”

Muzicant noted in particular statements this week by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell accusing Israel of using starvation as a strategy to combat the Hamas terror organization in Gaza.

Earlier this week, Borrell claimed Israel is intentionally “provoking famine” in the Gaza Strip.

“In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine; we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people,” Borrell said at the opening of a conference in Brussels on humanitarian aid for Gaza.

“This is unacceptable. Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Israel is provoking famine,” Borrell continued.

“Mr. Borrell’s comments this week that Israel uses starvation as a war strategy are false and unfounded. They pour added petrol on to a fire already lit by Hamas terrorists and spread by their supporters in Europe, where the targets are Jewish communities,” Muzicant said in response.

In its statement Wednesday, the EJC said it is “deeply concerned by such remarks,” which “follow a constant barrage from European leaders against Israel, including from the president of the European Council and Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander de Croo.”

“And it’s not only the EU,” Muzicant added.

“When senior United Nations officials such as Volker Turk and caretaker prime minister of Ireland, Leo Varadkar, blithely throw around defamatory and clearly false language like genocide while calling for immediate unconditional ceasefire while Israeli hostages continue to languish in Hamas captivity, we have to ask which side of the political fence have democratic politicians and so-called respectable international organizations chosen to stand alongside.”

“We should not have to remind democratic states in Europe, nor senior officials of the European Union or the UN, that Israel is the victim, not the perpetrator of the current conflict instigated by Hamas, a group which the European Union itself categorizes as a terror organization.”

“Israel has placed no limits on the aid allowed into Gaza despite it being involved in a military conflict with the very organization that controls almost all distribution channels in the Strip and is itself deliberately preventing much of that aid reaching those who most need it.”

“The time has come for the international community, including the European Union, to live up to its own responsibilities and moral code, in simple terms, between a democratic ally exercising self-defense after an unprovoked attack, or a violent antisemitic terror organization pledged to destroy the Jewish state,” Muzicant concluded.

AntisemitismEuropean Jewish CongressEuropean Unionjosep borrellUnited Nations