European Muslim Antisemitism: Why Young Urban Males Say They Don't Like Jews

by Günther Jikeli

Antisemitism from Muslims has become a serious issue in Western Europe, although not often acknowledged as such. Looking for insights into the views and rationales of young Muslims toward Jews, Günther Jikeli and his colleagues interviewed 117 ordinary Muslim men in London (chiefly of South Asian background), Paris (chiefly North African), and Berlin (chiefly Turkish). The researchers sought information about stereotypes of Jews, arguments used to support hostility toward Jews, the role played by the Middle East conflict and Islamist ideology in perceptions of Jews, the possible sources of antisemitic views, and, by contrast, what would motivate Muslims to actively oppose antisemitism. They also learned how the men perceive discrimination and exclusion as well as their own national identification. This study is rich in qualitative data that will mark a significant step along the path toward a better understanding of contemporary antisemitism in Europe.

Genres: Jewish, Antisemitism

368 pages, Hardcover

First published February 16, 2015

Reviews

[Adam Glantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

European Muslims are more likely than others in their societies to hold antisemitic beliefs and commit antisemitic acts. Sadly but not surprisingly, this is true for most of the young Muslim men who are interviewed by the author and his team. But it's not true for all of them. So the first lesson may be to not essentialize antisemitism as an inseparable part of being a European Muslim.

Muslim antisemitism is all over the map. The Israel-Palestine conflict hits an emotional chord, but the young men also discuss "classically" antisemitic tropes of Jewish wealth and influence and the putatively inevitable religious/ethnic clash between Jews and Muslims, Jews and Arabs, etc. Others give no reason at all for hating Jews, they just hate them. So it could well be that antisemitism precedes any of its rationalizations. It is its cause. This seems to be why there's no strong correlation between being a victim of anti-Muslim prejudice, being under-educated, or being a non-citizen, and hating Jews.

How do we deal with Muslim antisemitism? For one thing, European Muslim antisemitism can't be completely eradicated when it still exists among substantial minorities of European non-Muslims. But the author advises educators to focus on their Muslim students as individuals and to teach them that individuals have (human) rights. Clearly, breaking down a "we-them" form of identification is important.

[Quratulain · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. Few recommendations

[The Jewish Book Council]

Review by Ruth Seif for the Jewish Book Council.