On November 9, European leaders invoked Kristallnacht to condemn antisemitism and reaffirm the idea of “Never Again.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized historical responsibility, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledged attacks on Jews, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten urged Jews to stay, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre warned against importing international conflicts.
But do their promises reflect European Jews’ reality?
During his Amsterdam speech, Jetten said: “The horror of Kristallnacht as an antisemitic outburst of violence is not unique from a historical point of view.”
He compared 1938 with October 7, warning that “anti-Jewish feelings are once again rekindled by social divisions in our country.”
“There is no excuse whatsoever for threats and violence against synagogues, against Jewish schools and restaurants, or against Dutch Jews who do not want to hide their identity,” he said.
Addressing Jews considering leaving the Netherlands, he urged them, “Don’t give in to it; this is your home.”
Jetten cited security funding and efforts to support visible Jewish life. He added that he put a Mezuzah on his own door “To show that I want to be prime minister of a country in which Jewish life is visible.”
Nevertheless, antisemitism remains widespread. Police registered 867 antisemitic incidents in 2025, down from 880 in 2024, including over 400 targeting perceived Jewish individuals or institutions.
Dutch Jews disproportionately affected by discrimination despite small population
Antisemitism coordinator Eddo Verdoner noted that Jews are less than 0.3% of the population but account for 26% of specific discrimination cases registered by prosecutors.
Jigal Markuszower, president of the Jewish Communities in the Netherlands, told The Jerusalem Post last month: “The Netherlands is the first in line to do whatever is necessary to make life more complicated for Jewish people in the Netherlands, for tourists coming from Israel.”
While Jetten urged Jews to feel welcome, he did not address whether his government’s own policies risk contributing to their isolation.
In July 2026, the Netherlands banned trade in West Bank settlement goods, including goods for personal use. Jetten defended the measure on November 6 and encouraged other countries to follow suit and said his government is also reassessing the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
These measures are not inherently antisemitic, but raise questions about reconciling pressure on Israel with Jewish citizens’ sense of belonging.
Dutch universities have also restricted cooperation with Israeli institutions. The University of Amsterdam ruled out new partnerships and declined to extend its exchange with Tel Aviv University. TU Delft, Leiden and Radboud took similar steps.
In his Kristallnacht speech, the prime minister acknowledged that Jewish citizens are experiencing insecurity in his country. But it is unclear whether his government has adequately assessed the domestic consequences of its own actions and the actions of its institutions.
Norway's PM warns of rising antisemitism and harassment of Jewish children
Støre similarly warned that antisemitism in Norway “is increasing,” citing harassment of Jewish children.
“We don’t need a shop window or a living room window to break crystal; we have the internet, comment sections, social media, or bullying that Jewish children and young people face at school,” he said.
Støre stressed that when Jews are affected, “everyone is.”
He also recalled that “in 1938 Europe was still living in peace. Norway was neutral, but I am quite sure that the Jews who lived here – they saw signs in the times that not everyone else saw. Because pogroms had happened before – and they lived with it in their stories.”
Yet Norwegian Jews have told the Post their warnings have been consistently ignored.
Last year, despite objections from Oslo’s Jewish community, Det Mosaiske Trossamfunn (DMT), Støre attended an anti-Zionist Kristallnacht event co-organized by the Palestine Committee of Norway and a local Jewish Voices for Peace branch.
His warning also invites scrutiny of his government’s Israel policies.
Norway proposed banning settlement-related trade and services in June 2026. Its sovereign wealth fund manager announced Israeli divestments in August 2025, while Norway recognized Palestinian statehood in 2024.
Many of these decisions met opposition from Jewish community representatives.
Norway’s antisemitism action plan cites a survey in which 30% said the Gaza war worsened their attitudes toward Jews.
This does not prove that Norwegian government policies caused antisemitism. It does, however, demonstrate how attitudes toward Israel can spill over into prejudice against Jews.
The government acknowledges that Jewish children face pressure to answer for Israeli actions, families receive threats, and Jews conceal religious symbols.
How, then, does Norway ensure its rhetoric and policies do not reinforce the conflation of Israel with Jewish identity?
Germany takes a different approach to Israel amid rising antisemitism
Germany presents a different case. Merz has opposed broad sanctions against Israel, defended academic cooperation and repeatedly reaffirmed Germany’s historical responsibility.
Yet antisemitism remains elevated despite extensive Holocaust education and protections.
Speaking at Munich’s Ohel Jakob synagogue, Merz acknowledged that Jewish institutions require armed police and extraordinary security. He described Israel as a refuge for persecuted Jews, declaring, “We stand unwaveringly by Israel’s side.”
Steinmeier, speaking at Buchenwald, expressed shame that Jews are again threatened and attacked in Germany. Merz also conceded that openly visible Jewish life is still not fully possible.
Germany recorded 8,725 antisemitic incidents in 2025, nearly 24 per day.
Germany has restricted some arms exports and supported targeted settlement measures, but rejected general sanctions against Israel. German universities have resisted boycotts. In April 2026, Freie Universität Berlin reaffirmed its opposition to academic boycotts of Israeli universities and researchers.
This does not necessarily prevent Jewish and Israeli students from experiencing exclusion.
Germany allocated another €10 million to memorial institutions in August 2026. Yet it may have become better at commemorating Jewish suffering than preventing hostility today.
Condemning antisemitism is not enough to protect Europe's Jews
The speeches demonstrate recognition of antisemitism, but recognition alone cannot guarantee Jewish security.
Germany’s resistance to sweeping boycotts contrasts with restrictive measures pursued by the Netherlands and Norway. Those policies are not inherently antisemitic, but governments must examine whether they inadvertently intensify hostility toward Jews.
Follow us on GoogleSource: The Jerusalem Post · MATHILDA HELLER
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