I notice an upsurge, particularly in the US press, of reports that Europe is becoming more anti-Semitic. What I haven't seen to a matching extent is European reportage that would support this narrative. Nor do I see any equivalent narrative of Europe becoming more anti-Islamic. What I have seen is that European countries and media outlets appear more willing to condemn Israeli aggression towards Gaza, with the BBC in particular taking a strong line.

Given that Israel enjoys very strong support from the US, and uncritical support in most US media outlets, are we seeing a new pro-Israeli PR narrative that attempts to minimise the possible impact of European criticism by providing a story that allows comfortable dismissal of European sources as tainted by "rising European anti-Semitism"?

I have to say, first, that I think it's conceivable (obviously), practical (given the willingness of many news outlets to uncritically follow the Israeli line), worthwhile (from an Israeli point of view), and welcome - the last only because it suggests a recognition that the battle for European public opinion is being lost.

Thoughts?

Have you any evidence to suggest that it is a PR job? There is certainly an anti-Islamic right wing, as well as an anti-semitic one. An example can be found here:
https://machinenation.forumakers.com/the-open-europe-forum-f30/libertas-a-pan-european-project-t1597-300.htm#61301

Anti-semitism is a nasty and virulent form of racism. Because they're a dispersed population Jewish people are always there to be blamed. The New World Order theories seem to sit on a bedrock of anti-semitism.

I think it is really there in a dangerous minority and Israel doesn't have to invent it. Ideologically they may be feeling the need to reinvent themselves as warrior/resisters rather than as victims of racism. New film out with James Bond as a Jewish partisan fighter being a case in point.

The Nazi technique of the Big Lie is well used by the Israeli government, whose spokespeople tirelessly reiterate "information" that is the opposite of the truth, but always "on message".

ibis wrote:

I notice an upsurge, particularly in the US press, of reports that Europe is becoming more anti-Semitic. What I haven't seen to a matching extent is European reportage that would support this narrative. Nor do I see any equivalent narrative of Europe becoming more anti-Islamic. What I have seen is that European countries and media outlets appear more willing to condemn Israeli aggression towards Gaza, with the BBC in particular taking a strong line.

Given that Israel enjoys very strong support from the US, and uncritical support in most US media outlets, are we seeing a new pro-Israeli PR narrative that attempts to minimise the possible impact of European criticism by providing a story that allows comfortable dismissal of European sources as tainted by "rising European anti-Semitism"?

I have to say, first, that I think it's conceivable (obviously), practical (given the willingness of many news outlets to uncritically follow the Israeli line), worthwhile (from an Israeli point of view), and welcome - the last only because it suggests a recognition that the battle for European public opinion is being lost.

Thoughts?

That is absolutely the case Ibis. The Israeli government have put enormous effort into the PR offensive surrounding this war in particular - aware that they are running out of the post WW2 sympathy vote as a usable panacea for all their ills. There are several internal documents and statements which prove how much effort they have put into this - and Ill bring them back here in due course/asap. A clear distinction is being made by people who are protesting Israel's actions between extreme Zionism and ordinary Judaism - many Jews themselves feel that their identity has been hijacked by Zionism and is in danger of being eclipsed by it. At a protest march that I attended on Saturday there were two young Jewish people from Yemen who made a very interesting statement about the various Jewish groups and 'factions' and how some - the Ashkenazis in particular - are dominating the narrative.

But it is the Israelis themselves who conflate the situation by having from the outset defined their country as a Jewish state and making Jewish status an automatic entitlement for citizenship - over and above the rights of Palestinian people already living in the country when Israel came into being. It flies in the face of everything a democracy is supposed to be.

And perhaps most ironically of all, Palestinians are semitic too:

Se⋅mit⋅ic

 

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 /səˈmɪtɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [suh-mit-ik] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun

1.	a subfamily of Afroasiatic languages that includes Akkadian, Arabic, Aramaic, Ethiopic, Hebrew, and Phoenician.

–adjective

2.	of or pertaining to the Semites or their languages, esp. of or pertaining to the Jews.

Origin:
< NL sēmīticus, equiv. to sēmīt(a) Semite + -icus -ic

cactus flower wrote:

Have you any evidence to suggest that it is a PR job? There is certainly an anti-Islamic right wing, as well as an anti-semitic one. An example can be found here:
https://machinenation.forumakers.com/the-open-europe-forum-f30/libertas-a-pan-european-project-t1597-300.htm#61301

No, I have no evidence - it's a "follow the money" hypothesis. I kept seeing media reports of "rising anti-Semitic sentiment in Europe", but rarely attached to any factual evidence. When I see that in the media, I suspect either a meme, or someone pushing an agenda. My question would then be "who would such an agenda benefit?".

cactus flower wrote:

Anti-semitism is a nasty and virulent form of racism. Because they're a dispersed population Jewish people are always there to be blamed. The New World Order theories seem to sit on a bedrock of anti-semitism.

Indeed. It's not one I understand, but then, I'm not nuts. Well, not in that particular way, anyway. I've taken those hidden bias tests, which suggest I have a mild pro-Jewish bias (unsurprisingly).

There's no denying it's there in the European psyche.

cactus flower wrote:

I think it is really there in a dangerous minority and Israel doesn't have to invent it. Ideologically they may be feeling the need to reinvent themselves as warrior/resisters rather than as victims of racism. New film out with James Bond as a Jewish partisan fighter being a case in point.

The Nazi technique of the Big Lie is well used by the Israeli government, whose spokespeople tirelessly reiterate "information" that is the opposite of the truth, but always "on message".

That's partly why I suspect a media push on the part of the Israelis to limit the credibility of European media. Their media management is superb - other groups I wouldn't even consider such a hypothesis.

Aragon wrote:

But it is the Israelis themselves who conflate the situation by having from the outset defined their country as a Jewish state and making Jewish status an automatic entitlement for citizenship - over and above the rights of Palestinian people already living in the country when Israel came into being. It flies in the face of everything a democracy is supposed to be.

And perhaps most ironically of all, Palestinians are semitic too:

Indeed, the Zionists have shown themselves to be the biggest anti-semitic movement since the nazi's, with the Apartheid-esque scenario they've formulated in Israel..

Quote :

There's no denying it's there in the European psyche.

I don't agree that it is psychological, or even that there is such a thing as a European psyche. It seems to me not that different to anti-Traveller / anti gypsy sentiment - they are different culturally and therefore suspect and have some advantages they are envied for. Politically they are a minority that can be isolated and used as a scapegoat for social and economic failures. Politicians, even here, have been known to play the racist card with the utmost cynicism.