Adressing the two-day high-level annual conference of the European Jewish Association, aimed at confronting rising attacks against Jews in Europe, Roberta Metsola described it  as a ‘’critical warning that must not be ignored.’’

The conference will see Jewish leaders urging action by demanding that  Jews be recognized as a ‘’protected minority’’.’’This  is no longer optional, it is essential if Jewish life is to have a future on this continent,’’ declared EJA Chariman Rabbi Menachem Margolin. “We are witnessing not just a rise in antisemitism but the collapse of the sense of security for Jews across Europe.”

Keynot speakers at the conference also include European Commissioner Olivier Varhelyi, Georges-Louis Bouchez, leader of the French-speaking Belgian Liberal MR  party, Israel’s ambassador to the EU and NATO, Avi Nir Feldklein,  Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, U.S. Special Envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White and Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission  Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life.

European Commissioner Olivier Varhelyi stressed that ”Anti-Semitism has no place in Europe. Hatred and violence have no place in Europe. And the glorification of terror has no place in Europe. Not in our public spaces, not in our institutions, not in our schools or universities, not online, nowhere. ”Europe must respond to this threat with clarity, consistency, and determination,” he said.

 

‘’Anti-Semitism is a poison and like any poison it cannot be tolerated.It must be rooted out,’’ said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in a video message Wednesday to the opening of a two-day conference aimed at confronting attacks against Jewish life in Europ and calling for urgent action by recognizing Jews as a ‘’protected minority’’ on the continent.

Titled ‘’Global Intifada : Jewish communities on the Frontlines’, the conference is  organized in Brussels by the European Jewish Association (EJA), in the presence of more than 100 Jewish leaders, politicians and diplomats. Keynote speakers include also European Commissioner Olivier Varhelyi, Georges-Louis Bouchez, leader of the French-speaking Belgian Liberal MR  party, Israel’s ambassador to the EU and NATO, Avi Nir Feldklein,  Ambassadorn Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, U.S.  Special Envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White – who is to receive the King David Award from the EJA for his contribution to combating antisemitism- and Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission  Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life.

The conference started with a  stark warning that Jewish life in Europe is once again under threat what many described as a rapidly deteriorating reality for Jews across the continent marked by the alarming surge in antisemitism, rising violence and growing fear among Jews in public spaces.

“Synagogues attacked. Schools targeted. Ambulances set on fire. Jewish families afraid to walk the streets. These are not isolated incidents—every single one of them is an assault on everything Europe stands for,” said Metsola in one of the most forceful messages by a senior European leader on the issue in recent years.

Describing the current moment as a ‘’critical warning that must not be ignored.’ The President of the European Parliament highlighting the dangerous normalization of antisemitism in public discourse following the October 7 attacks.;“We have seen conspiracy theories replace logic, victims blamed, and age-old antisemitic tropes return in the mouths of a new generation. This is how it starts, and Europe, more than any place in the world, knows where it can lead if left unchecked,’’ she said.

Calling antisemitism “a poison,” Metsola stressed that tolerance is not an option:“Anti-Semitism is a poison and like any poison it cannot be tolerated. it must be rooted out. Europe must be a place where Jewish people can live openly, safely, and without fear. Where wearing a kippah is not a risk, where children can go to school without armed guards, and where Jewish life can flourish again in every corner of our continent.”

EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin echoed the urgency of Metsola’s remarks, stressing that the situation has moved beyond warning signs into a systemic crisis requiring immediate structural change. “We are witnessing not just a rise in antisemitism but the collapse of the sense of security for Jews across Europe. When Jewish life depends on armed protection, when identity must be hidden, when fear becomes normal – this is not a Jewish problem, this is a European failure. The only meaningful response now is action. Recognizing Jews as a protected minority is no longer optional, it is essential if Jewish life is to have a future on this continent.”

In his remarks, Rabbi Margolin also referred to Sunday’s results of elections in Hungary which saw Prime Minister Viktor Orbán being swept away after 16 years in office. ”This is democracy, for better or for worse. Elections happen. Politicians change. But how Europe treats its Jewish communities shouldn’t,” he said.  ”This problem is not unique to Hungary. Any of us, at any time, in whatever country in Europe we live in, are faced with the same problem when a government changes. Our future is in someone else’s hands.”

He added: ”There are a great many good people in positions of power that want to help, that want to see Jewish life dramatically improved. Some of them are with us, and will be speaking with us over the next two days. But what happens to these good people in 1, 2, 3 or 4 years from now? What happens to a solid strategy or policy when a government changes?

He told the conference  participants that ”it’s time to roll up our sleeves and bring in something that has the potential to transform Jewish life on the continent: A special protected minority status for European Jewry.”

In his conclusion he said: ”The idea here is to create a new reality for European Jews. A reality that isn’t dependent on whichever government is in power, or how a political party feels about us. A reality that settles Jewish life and its position in Europe under law, in practice, and that is ring-fenced against interference or the latest trendy policy. ”

European Commissioner Olivier Varhelyi, a staunch friend of Jewish communities in Europe, s ”This aid the conference ”takes place at at a very serious moment for Europe and for its Jewish communities across. eplored e increasing number of anti-Semitic incidents, in acts of intimidation, violence, and even the spread of hatred across multiple spheres of public life.”

”We see it on our streets, on university campuses, online, and increasingly in a broader public debate. We are also seeing persistent attempts to distort historical truth.Holocaust distortion, Holocaust relativization are once again entering public discourse without much limitation except our better.. Conspiracy theories are circulating even more widely than before,” he said.

”In some cases, terrorism is not only excused, but openly glorified. These are not only isolated incidents.They are symptoms of something much deeper.”

Varhelyi stressed that ”Anti-Semitism has no place in Europe. Hatred and violence have no place in Europe. And the glorification of terror has no place in Europe. Not in our public spaces, not in our institutions, not in our schools or universities, not online, nowhere.”

”Europe must respond to this threat with clarity, consistency, and determination. And I want to state clearly today to you that the Jewish communities can continue to count on me and of course on the European Commission. Because we will continue to defend fundamental rights. We will continue to protect and support Jewish life and we will continue to fight anti-Semitism. As it is not only a threat to our Jewish community, it is a fundamental test of our democratic societies.”

If Europe fails to protect its Jewish minority, then Europe fails itself, he said. ”. If Jewish people do not feel safe in Europe, then Europe is not what it claims to be. Jewish life has been an integral part of Europe for centuries. And the Jewish people must always have a home in Europe. Where the Jewish minority is protected, where Jewish life thrives in security and dignity and in truth. Where fundamental tenants of Jewish identity, religious life, traditions are respected, including the ritual male circumcision.”

”Jewish life remains a part. Jewish tradition belongs to Europe. And Jewish communities have the right to live in security, dignity, and freedom across our,” the EU Commissioner concluded.

Israel’s ambassador to the EU and NATO Avi Nir Feldklein underlined the fact that ”when people must hesitate over whether it is safe to visit a community center  or a synagogue or when they fear sending their children to a Jewish school, their religious freedom has been stripped away.”

“We are living in a time in which there is a huge gap between slogans and reality. We keep hearing ‘Never again,’ but too many Jews around the world are still being targeted, and too many still feel they must hide the fact that they are Jewish.”

“Whoever says, ‘I am not antisemitic, I am only anti-Zionist,’ is often using a code word to hide what is really antisemitism.”

He stressed that he is not opposed to criticism of Israel. ”Criticism is legitimate. What is unacceptable is criticism that is not based on facts, but on propaganda and blood libels.”

He noted that Israel ”is the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is growing, yet Israel is the one being criticized for harming freedom of religion.”

“What troubles me is the double standard. Israel is threatened over legislation that has not led to any execution, while other partner countries that do carry out executions are not treated the same way.”

“Europe is important to Israel, and Israel is important to Europe. We should not allow the current political crisis to stand in the way of cooperation in trade, research, development and innovation. Much more keeps us together than what divides us. Our responsibility is to make sure that we do not lose each other.”

Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the Liberal French-speaking MR party in Belgium, a staunch friend of the Jewish community and Israel, stressed that ”protecting the Jewish community is not a symbolic gesture. It’s about protecting the very core of our democracy. As liberals, we defend freedom of religion, freedom of association and the security for every individual.”
He noted that in politics today there is a lot of words, but not too often concrete action. ”Concretely, my words means ensuring strengthened and lasting protection of synagogues, Jewish schools and community center. Providing police and intelligence services with the mean to identify and neutralize anti-semitic threats. Whether they come from the far right, the far left or radicalist Islamist.”

He also mentioned that his political party has long been calling for the rapid appointment of a federal coordinator for the fight against anti-semitism.

”This is not like actually a simple formality, an administrative, a bureaucratic administrative formality.It is a political statement that combating anti-semitism is a national priority that demands a dedicated interlocutor, a clear mandate and a direct line to government, ” Bouchez said.

”The Jewish community deserves a single point of reference within the Belgian state. Someone who connects the security services, the judiciary, civil society and the political world and who ensures that commitments do not remain mere words,” he added. ”We demands that this appointment be made without further delay.”

Belgium is one of the few EU member states that has not yet appoint a special coordinator to combat antisemitism because it needs agreement in the coalition government.

He also referred to a bill put forward by the Belgian Interior and Security Minister  which aims to enable the state to ban radical and extremism organizations that incite a treat and threaten the democratic order. ”The objective is clear, to prevent associations, collectives or platform from using our freedom to undermine our democracy and spread the treat of Jews and of Israel. We are thinking of course of structure such as Samidoun, which present themselves as a solidarity organization, but in reality glorify terrorist movement, trivialize violence and create a permanent climate of hostility towards Jews and the state of Israel.”

According to the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), since January 1, 2026, the group has monitored 1,878 incidents of antisemitism worldwide, which is an average of 133 incidents monitored weekly in 2026.

Over the past two weeks, during the Passover holiday period, a total of  263 antisemitic incidents were recorded globally, statistically in line with the 2026 weekly average.

The epicenter of antisemitic activities over the past two weeks was Western Europe, where 111 incidents were recorded* (42% of the global total).

According to a report published by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating antisemitism, the United Kingdom had in 2025 the highest per capita rate of real-life antisemitic assaults of any country with a large Jewish community.

Over the course of the two-day conference, participants are engaging in intensive discussions on countering extremism, addressing policy failures and rebuilding trust in European institutions. Dedicated working groups are focusing specifically on the framework for Protected Minority Status, covering education, freedom of religion, and legal safeguards, with recommendations to be presented and voted on in a plenary session  on Thursday.