By: Dr Matevž Tomšič
Anti-Semitism is part of European history. It belongs to its dark side. It was widespread during the Middle Ages when Jews, who lived in their communities across Europe, were often declared a threat. They were accused of various things, such as spreading contagious diseases and outbreaks of epidemics, and ruthlessly persecuted. Many were killed in pogroms, and many were burned at the stake.
Even in the modern era, these negative sentiments have not subsided. On the contrary, various conspiracy theories have emerged – some based on “evidence”, such as the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which later proved to be a forgery – suggesting that Jews are attempting to destroy Europe and dominate the world. This resulted in the most destructive chapter of anti-Semitism when the German National Socialist regime carried out the Holocaust during World War II, leading to the death of around six million European Jews.
Today, anti-Semitism faces public, resolute, and uncompromising condemnation from official authorities. The United Nations declared a Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2005. Each year, during the commemoration of this day, global leaders, and other influential figures pledge that such a tragedy should never happen again.
However, anti-Semitism is not a thing of the past. Its resurgence occurred during the recent crisis in the Middle East, particularly during Hamas’s massacre last October and the Israeli military operation in Gaza that followed. It even appears in places where it was previously unexpected, such as on the campuses of elite Western universities.
THOSE WHO TODAY SHOUT ANTI-JEWISH SLOGANS AND SCRIBBLE ANTI-SEMITIC GRAFFITI, ALONG WITH MUSLIMS, ARE PRIMARILY MEMBERS OF THE FAR LEFT. THESE OFTEN GO HAND IN HAND, AS SEEN IN NUMEROUS PROTESTS AGAINST THE “ISRAELI DESTRUCTION OF GAZA”.
However, the ideological foundation of anti-Semitism in Europe has recently undergone significant changes. Traditionally, it was mainly associated with (far) right-wing ideologies (although in its most deadly form, i.e., National Socialism, it involved a combination of right and left elements). The (far) right consistently portrayed Jews as a foreign element within the bodies of European nations, undermining their unity, culture, and tradition. Now, however, anti-Semitism has shifted to the left. Those who today shout anti-Jewish slogans and scribble anti-Semitic graffiti, along with Muslims, are primarily members of the far left. These often go hand in hand, as seen in numerous protests against the “Israeli destruction of Gaza”.
The left’s aversion to Jews is connected to its hatred of Western civilisation as a whole. It associates them with the origin of almost all evil in this world. Judaism, through the Old Testament, is an integral part of it. The Jewish-Christian religious tradition is one of its foundations. Above all, leftist anti-Semitism is linked to its hostility towards the state of Israel, viewing it as the exclusive culprit for the crisis in the Middle East. In doing so, it spreads bizarre accusations of “genocide” against the Palestinians, despite the significant increase in their population in recent decades. Simultaneously, it justifies the criminal acts of Palestinian terrorists. In essence, the left is bothered by Israel itself, which represents the only successful Western-style state in this part of the world, with a developed democracy and a well-functioning market economy, conscious of the constant struggle to preserve its sovereignty. It is a country that stands in stark contrast to the leftist awakening delusions.
Slovenia is not exempt from this trend; on the contrary, the demonisation of Jews and Israel originates from the ideology of non-alignment during the time of the former regime, which is still deeply rooted in leftist circles today. The current government, established by these circles, is one of the most pro-Palestinian in Europe. One of its members, for example, attended a rally where calls were made for the destruction of the state of Israel (the slogan “Palestine from the river to the sea” is nothing but such a call). However, none of the representatives of the authorities condemned this, implying that there is nothing wrong with anti-Semitism as long as it aligns with the correct political ideology.