Signs are mounting that the conflict in Gaza is starting to spill over into violence in Europe’s towns and cities, with assaults against Jews and arson attacks on Jewish congregations in France, Sweden and Britain.
Assailants rammed a burning car into the gates of a synagogue in Toulouse, in southwest France, on Monday night. A Jewish congregation in Helsingborg, in southern Sweden, also was attacked Monday night by someone who “broke a window and threw in something that was burning,” said police spokesman Leif Nilsson. Neighbors alerted rescue services before the fire took hold.
Someone also started a blaze outside the premises last week. And on Sunday slogans including “murderers … You broke the cease-fire” and “don’t subject Palestine to ethnic cleansing” were daubed on Israel’s embassy in Stockholm.
In Denmark, a 27-year-old Dane born in Lebanon of Palestinian parents is alleged to have injured two young Israelis last week, opening fire with a handgun in a shooting that police suspect could be linked to the Gaza crisis.
France has Western Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities and a history of anti-Semitic violence flaring when tensions in the Middle East are high. In 2002, some 2,300 Jews left France for Israel because they felt unsafe.
President Nicolas Sarkozy warned in a statement Tuesday that France would not tolerate violence linked to the Gaza crisis. A day earlier, his interior minister said she was concerned about the prospect of contagion and met with the heads of the two main Muslim and Jewish groups and police officials to stress the need to “preserve national unity.”
The government in Belgium on Tuesday ordered police in Antwerp and Brussels to be on increased alert after recent pro-Palestinian protests ended in violence and dozens of arrests. Police said burning rags were shoved through the mailbox of a Jewish home in Antwerp last weekend. Damage was limited and no arrests were made.
In the Danish shooting, one Israeli man was shot in the arm and another in the leg as they were selling hair care products in a shopping mall. Eli Ruvio, who owns the company that operated the stands, said his employees have been harassed by Muslim youths since they set up three kiosks in the shopping center in August.
(Source: Breitbart / Associated Press)
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14 Responses
All Chabad houses worldwide, need now extra special security.
Does anyone else find that picture absolutly hillarious and disturbing at the same time?
Lets see if we can get this picture with Obama’s catch phrase and his fans to go viral!
Why is the IDF sacrificing religious soldiers (Golani Brigade)–allowing them to be killed–in an effort to avoid “civilian” casualties?
Is the blood of our religious brothers less valuable than Arab blood?
we are surrounded by our enemy yishmael all over the world- our only defense is ridding ourselves of sinas chinum
We have enough distress in the world without your headlines getting it wrong through sensationalism. The war has not spread to Europe. Why don’t you be careful in what you write in your headlines? Don’t trade Jewish distress for your web hit increases. Your article, at best, cites cases of individual mishiguyim and antisemites. You should really post those stories all year long. To repeat, the war has NOT spread to Europe.
While your headline is in the best tradition of yellow journalism (think New York Post, or Jewish Press), there are reports of increased antisemitic incidents in several European countries (in reputable news sources such as the AP and the London Times). But they are quite isolated, and more importantly, they are making serving to discredit the anti-Israel protestors (most of whom are anti-semites), and getting the European goyim to get increasingly ticked off at the Muslim minorities. It is a siutation to watch, but not to panic.
#4 You are 100% right. The world is going mad and we are the target as usual. We must avoid another Holocaust. Yes we need to rid ourselves of Sinas Chinum. We must also DAVEN and say TEHILIM. We must cry out to Ha-Shem. We must also do Teshuva. That’s what Ha-Shem is waiting for!!!!!!! When are we going to wake up?
#5 – Ok the headline was a bit exaagerated, but if you really think about it, it’s not far from the truth. Before you know it, CHAS V’SHALOM it could really happen. Again I repeat- we must do Teshuva, Daven, say Tehilim.
TESHUVA, TEFILA, U’TZEDAKA MA’AVIRIN ES ROAH HA’GEZAYRA.
AM YISROEL – WAKE UP!!!!!
#7: My comment is 100% emes. Do you know what a war is? That’s what’s going on in Gaza. IS there a war on currently in Europe? Be a friend to the emes.
The truth can be spread as well – the American public is starting to Get It on mainstream news blogs that Hamas is at fault here. Never thought I’d see it. Give it time – G-d willing Europeans will get sick of the Muslims in their midst inciting violence in their backyards. Moshiach is coming!!
5 & 6 What is your problem? Truth does not sit with you well.
The evidence is clear, the keg of dynamite called the ‘Arab’ has exploded at Jews everywhere. The Arab world and its many followers in EU/Europe are focusing on Jewish people and places. Did you see the faces of the Arabs at the Manhattan rally last week? Evil, hostile and violent.
This was all predicted in the Navi, before the geulah sets in strongly.
Make no mistake, the war in Gaza has nothing to do with this. Is just an opportunity for people to unabashedly show how they really feel and can’t publicly express, otherwise. Protests are happening all across the world, with the most evil, violent, and vile hatred toward Jews. Don’t be fooled, this has nothing to do with Gaza. Any thinking person, would question what would I want my country to do if our neighbor had fired over 3,000 rockets in 4 years and violated a cease-fire agreement? There is no logic here, because it has nothing to do with facts. They just hate, that is all this, pure hate, in its ugliest form.
The Satmar Rebbe ZT’L wrote over 40 years ago that the State of Israel will be the greatest cause and catalyst for anti-semitism throughout the world.
How right he was.
Our only hope and salvation is if we stop relying on the IDF and daven to Hashem to have rachmonus on Yiddisher kinder and bring Moshiach.
The Satmar Rebbe probably meant that the existence of the Jews was the impetus for Anti-Semitism thruout the world.
#2 I tried, but I can’t figure out what’s so hilarious. Please explain. Thanks.