According to a new report from the Israeli government, cases of anti-Semitism rose dramatically in 2024, with some countries recording a six-fold increase after Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s response.
In an exclusive interview, Amichai Chikuli, who is fighting the Israeli diaspora issue and anti-Semitic Amichikuli, said Spain and Ireland have changed dramatically and “became the most hostile nations about Israel and the Jewish community.”
Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognized the Palestinian state last year.
In a previous exclusive interview with Euronows last week, Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin called the situation in Gaza “hell on earth” and accused Israel of committing what is called “war crimes” and criticizing the EU’s “lack of response.”
Chikuri strongly refused the charges and shot back in Ireland for his stance. In Chikuri’s words, “The Irish leader who comes to the memory of the Holocaust and instead talks about Gaza, instead of talking about the Holocaust, is a violent anti-Semitism led by the head of state.”
This applies to Spain, Chikuli criticized Madrid’s decision to take part in the ICC case against Israel over alleged crimes in the war with Hamas on the strip, Chikuli said.
Spain and Ireland have both repeatedly rejected Israeli anti-Semitism accusations. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Alvarez said in October that no form of hatred towards the Jewish community had a place in the southern European countries.
In Spain, he added, “One is free expression, and not only has the widespread rejection of incitement to all forms of hatred, including anti-Semitism, but it is engraved in criminal law, but there are all forms of hatred.”
Le Pen on Macron
The Israeli government report also specifically denounced French President Emmanuel Macron, saying his comments, accusing Israel of “killing women and children,” were used to “justify anti-Semitist rhetoric from the French left.”
Chikuli accused the French president of not supporting the Jewish community in France. It is the largest in France in Europe and the third largest in the world after Israel and the United States. “When Emmanuel Macron chooses not to attend the Jewish community parade against anti-Semitism, it sends a message,” Chikuli pointed out.
Israel has found support for what was once considered an unimaginable partner, he said, like the right-wingers, including the French far-right National Rally Party (RN).
“For example, Marine Le Pen knows the history of her father, who was very problematic about anti-Semitism, but she decided to go a different path,” Chikuli said.
“First, she drove her father out of the party, and since October 7, she has attended a parade of the Jewish community against anti-Semitism.”
“She spoke very clearly about the ICC’s decision to Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Minister of Defense (Yove) against Gallant,” Chikli told Euroneuz.
This is why Israel views RN and the Spanish VOX party as “potential partners of the future,” he concluded.
