The war in Gaza has led to a strong wave of antisemitism in Switzerland

The Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war against Hamas in Gaza have caused a true wave of antisemitism. The surveys of the Report on Antisemitism of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities SIG and the GRA Foundation Against Racism and Antisemitism show a massive increase in antisemitic incidents and the emergence of a trigger event on a scale unseen in recent decades. 74% of the real-world incidents in 2023 occurred in the period after 7 October, compared with 47% of online cases. Particularly striking are the 10 recorded assaults, i.e. direct physical attacks on Jewish people. Until 2023, only one or no such offence had been recorded per year.

See the figures and categories for 2023

Compared to the previous year, there was an enormous and unprecedented increase in registered real-world antisemitic incidents of 98, for a total of 155 cases (2022: 57). 114 incidents were recorded in the nearly three months between 7 October and the end of the year. Of the 10 assaults (2022: 1), 6 occurred in October alone and 7 by the end of the year. The large increases in the categories of offensive graffiti, public acts and posters/banners can also be attributed to the period after 7 October: 34 of the 42 registered pieces of graffiti (2022: 9), 7 of the 8 public acts (2022: 1) and all 10 posters/banners (2022: 1) originate from that period. In the case of verbal abuse, the unequal distribution over the year is less pronounced: 18 of the 47 incidents (2022: 16) were registered after 7 October. Only in the case of comments, 11 out of 38 after 7 October, was no extraordinary accumulation observed in the fourth quarter (2022: 6). No damage to property was reported in 2023.

Throughout the year under review, the number of antisemitic incidents recorded in the digital world increased only comparatively marginally, from 853 to 975 incidents. However, the uneven distribution is significant here, too: 459 incidents occurred after 7 October. Telegram continues to account for the majority of observed and reported incidents, although the percentage decreased slightly from 75% in 2022 to 68% in 2023. A total of 1,130 antisemitic incidents were reported or observed (2022: 910).

The Hamas terrorist attacks and the war in Gaza unleash a massive trigger

Such a real-world accumulation of physical assaults, graffiti, verbal abuse and incidents at demonstrations in such a short period of time is unprecedented. The content of the graffiti and letters, with death threats and Shoah extermination fantasies, has also reached an intensity as yet unknown in Switzerland. An increase in antisemitic incidents due to “triggers” could also be observed in previous years. Triggers are international or national events, including media reports, that cause a spike in the number of antisemitic incidents for a limited period (usually a few days). The terrorist attacks of 7 October and the subsequent war in Gaza are one such trigger, but by comparison they have led to a veritable wave of antisemitism. This phenomenon is also evident in the category of “Israel-related antisemitism”, which has increased from 6.4% in 2022 to 20%.

As far as it was possible to attribute incidents to distinct groups, it is clear that a variety of different ones were triggered: far-right and far-left, pro-Palestinian and individuals from the mainstream of society. As in the last two reporting years, Telegram is the online channel that has generated numerous incidents in Switzerland. Open antisemitism is possible in many Telegram chats without the content being deleted or the users responsible blocked. This is where the anti-state, anti-society and conspiracy-theory subculture continues to operate, in which antisemitism is practised almost unopposed. In terms of content and appearance, it adapts to current issues, be it Covid, the war in Ukraine or, most recently, Israel’s war against the terrorist organisation Hamas.

Attempted murder of a Jew is the most serious hate crime in two decades

At around 10 pm on Saturday evening, 2 March 2024, a man who was recognisably Jewish was the victim of a knife attack in Zurich Selnau. The 50-year-old victim was seriously injured. It was only by sheer luck that he survived the attack. He remains in intensive care. The arrested perpetrator is a 15-year-old with dual Swiss and Tunisian citizenship. He had announced his attack on the internet and pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State (IS). In his video and at the scene of the crime, he made his goal clear: he wanted to kill Jews.

This act is the most serious antisemitic hate crime in Switzerland in two decades. It is also an extremely rare event on a European level. The exact reasons for the perpetrator’s radicalisation are still under investigation. However, it is clear from the perpetrator’s video that the act was linked to the war in Gaza. The trigger that emerged in October led to a dynamic never before seen on this scale in Switzerland. The sheer number of incidents is appalling. The intensity and severity of the individual incidents are extreme in themselves. There is a dynamic at work that both flushes latent antisemitism to the surface and reinforces it. The stabbing of this Jewish father, an arbitrarily chosen Jewish target, is a culmination point.

SIG and GRA call for a clear and unambiguous cohesion between politics and civil society

This wave of antisemitic incidents, culminating in the attempted murder of a Jew, has had a tangible impact on the Jewish community in Switzerland. Insecurity has risen sharply. Identifying as Jewish in public is often accompanied by anxiety, reticence and fear. This is unacceptable from a socio-political point of view. This development, which has so far culminated in a knife attack, must lead to a turning point in Swiss antisemitism policy. It is also a wake-up call for civil society, which must respond with counter-arguments, civil courage and dialogue. Politicians and authorities must take the lead, by responding to repeated calls for action. SIG and GRA have been warning for years that words can be a prelude to violence. That is where we are now. We cannot wait any longer. More government involvement in monitoring antisemitism and racism is urgently needed. We require a legal crackdown on hate speech at last. There needs to be a will to influence social media platforms to stop the spread of hate. Generally speaking, there is a need for a clear federal strategy against antisemitism, and politicians must speed up the debate here. Finally, we also need a clear signal to be sent against the Nazi symbols that have appeared on numerous walls this year. Parliament must get back on track swiftly and constructively and avoid endless debate.