class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>
Only the courageous intervention of three passers-by could prevent something even worse. On March 2, an Islamist radicalized youth (15) stabbed an Orthodox Jew (50) with a knife in Zurich. He seriously injured him. The Swiss youth with Tunisian roots had previously announced his crime on the internet and declared his allegiance to Islamic State (IS). His goal: he wants to kill Jews.
The attack “represents the most serious anti-Semitic hate crime in Switzerland in twenty years,” write the Swiss Association of Jewish Communities (SIG) and the Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism (GRA) in their just-published 2023 anti-Semitism report. The act is also an exceptional event in all of Europe.
More incidents in all areas
And yet: the knife attack in Zurich is just the low point in a ‘terrifying’ wave of anti-Semitic incidents. This is evident from research by both organizations. According to this data, a total of 1,130 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in German-speaking Switzerland and Italian-speaking Switzerland. Last year there were 910. In French-speaking Switzerland, anti-Semitic incidents have increased by 68 percent.
The SIG and the GRA clearly identify the terrorist attacks by Hamas last October and the war in Gaza as the trigger.
The attacks brought latent anti-Semitism to the surface and at the same time had a strengthening effect. Since then, the number of recorded anti-Semitic incidents has ‘skyrocketed dramatically’.
Especially in the real world, an “unprecedented intensity in word choice and even in physical attacks” should be noted. In concrete figures: Compared to the previous year, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the country increased from 57 to 155 cases. Almost tripled! In the nearly three months alone since the Hamas attack on October 7 until the end of the year, 114 incidents were recorded.
“You should be gassed!”
A strictly religious brother-sister couple was beaten by a man at Zurich airport train station. In Saas-Fee USA, a Jewish tourist was insulted by a local resident. The report states that he then got into his car and tried to run over the tourist. Or: A student at a district school in Aargau was insulted (Hitler salute: “You should be gassed!”), pushed and beaten. His pants were also pulled down.
A strong commitment against racism and anti-Semitism is more relevant than ever, SP Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (60) said in the National Council on Monday. In 2019, the Federal Council approved the regulation on measures to ensure the safety of minorities in need of special protection. The Federal Police Office (Fedpol) is currently supporting a total of 34 organizations, mainly Jewish, with protective measures worth approximately 4.7 million francs.
At the same time, the federal government supports the establishment of offices for reporting anti-Semitic incidents and the network of counseling centers for victims of racism. Targeted awareness projects would also be carried out in schools. And finally, the Federal Council supports the call for an action plan against racism and anti-Semitism.
A strong commitment against racism and anti-Semitism is more relevant than ever, SP Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (60) said in the National Council on Monday. In 2019, the Federal Council approved the regulation on measures to ensure the safety of minorities in need of special protection. The Federal Police Office (Fedpol) is currently supporting a total of 34 organizations, mainly Jewish, with protective measures worth approximately 4.7 million francs.
At the same time, the federal government supports the establishment of offices for reporting anti-Semitic incidents and the network of counseling centers for victims of racism. Targeted awareness projects would also be carried out in schools. And finally, the Federal Council supports the call for an action plan against racism and anti-Semitism.
A total of ten assaults were registered in 2023, six of which were in October alone. There was one the whole year before. A tenfold increase! The same goes for graffiti, performances or posters. Such an accumulation of assaults, graffiti, insults and incidents at demonstrations in such a short time is unprecedented, the reporters complain.
“The content of the graffiti and letters has also reached a level of violence never before seen in Switzerland, with death threats and fantasies of Shoah annihilation.” Insecurity among Jews has increased sharply. From a socio-political point of view this is unacceptable.
On the internet, the number of anti-Semitic incidents has increased from 853 to 975 cases compared to 2022.
Politics must finally take action
In clear words, the SIG and the GRA call on politicians to take action: there is an urgent need for more commitment from the state to monitor anti-Semitism and racism. We finally need legal action against hate speech and the will to influence social media platforms to stop the spread of hate. And a clear signal is needed against the increasing number of Nazi symbols. But politicians are still struggling to find a solution.
Swiss Jews hold politicians responsible for endless debates. We can’t wait any longer. The words must ultimately be followed by actions.
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
