Ln January 22, 2025, the Service for the Protection of the Jewish Community in France (SPCJ) published its annual report on anti-Semitism for the year 2024, thus ahead of the Ministry of the Interior. Crif, based on this data, rushed to relay the information by publishing a summary on its website.
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In 2024, 1,570 anti-Semitic acts were recorded, compared to 1,676 the previous year, a decrease of 6.3%. However, the monthly average reached an unprecedented level with 130 acts, marking a new level which is maintained and confirmed month after month.
ALSO READ “Racist and anti-Semitic remarks deserve a real criminal response” Remember that the methodology used is based on the numerical summaries of the central territorial intelligence service, dependent on the Ministry of the Interior. This data, which counts “actions” and “threats”, is cross-referenced with reports from the ministry and the SPCJ. But only acts that have been the subject of a complaint or an investigation are counted, which may underestimate the reality, with some victims not filing a complaint for fear of reprisals. Unfortunately, precise information regarding the number of people brought before the courts, the number of convictions handed down, the sentences applied and the number of dismissals for anti-Semitic acts is not available in the search results provided.
Insights into the figures for anti-Semitic acts
From October 2000 to the end of 2022, France recorded 13,091 anti-Semitic acts. Adding the figures for 2023 (1,676) and 2024 (2,570), the total comes to 16,337 records, a considerable amount over this 24-year period. This alarming figure demonstrates that anti-Semitism is not a recent phenomenon, but a reality that has been deeply rooted in French society for more than two decades.
A recurring correlation emerges between peaks of anti-Semitic acts in France and periods of tension in the Middle East, particularly visible in the years 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2023 and 2024.
The past year has been marked by a significant deterioration in the climate towards the Jewish community in the French public space. This deterioration has manifested itself in various areas. Statistics indicate that anti-Semitism mainly targets people (65.2%), with an alarming rate of physical violence, exceeding 10% of attacks. The majority of acts occur in the private sphere (nearly 35%) and on public roads (22%), affecting almost the entire French territory (88 departments out of 101, or 87%).
ALSO READ Conference on the fight against anti-Semitism: a late turning point? Paris concentrates the most incidents (379), followed by Hauts-de-Seine (131), Val-de-Marne (110), Seine-Saint-Denis (92), Bouches-du-Rhône ( 78) and the Alpes-Maritimes (56). In these departments, anti-Semitic acts occur mainly in the private sphere and community centers. The educational environment is not spared, with 192 acts the subject of a complaint in 2024, or 12.2% of the total anti-Semitic acts recorded that year. At a time when teachers fear tackling the Holocaust or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in history lessons, the question arises of the treatment of these sensitive subjects in our schools. How are these themes taught today? Are students actually sanctioned when inappropriate comments or behavior are observed?
-Deciphering anti-Semitic tendencies
These figures reveal that current anti-Semitism has several characteristics which develop jointly and follow one another. We note the persistence of anti-Semitic stereotypes and prejudices, as well as the use of social networks as vehicles for multiple accusations. However, it is the prevalence of anti-Semitism linked to the conflict between Israel and Hamas that stands out in 2025.
In this context, it is appropriate to highlight the deliberate strategy of La France insoumise, which makes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a central pillar of its campaign. This approach aims to mobilize its activist base, unite its supporters and potentially seduce the French Muslim electorate.
ALSO READ Europe or the continent of passive anti-SemitismHowever, Israel is the focus of an entire conspiracy imagination. This demonological anti-Zionism takes various particularly aggressive forms: delegitimization of Israel, sometimes violent pro-Palestinian demonstrations, anti-Semitic inscriptions and messages on social networks, attacks or specific accusations. Moreover, in certain suburbs, the unstructured discourse of young people quickly slides from anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism, from Israel to Jews.
Moreover, anti-Semitism is also spreading among Muslims living in France or French people of Muslim faith, as demonstrated by an Ifop study published in October 2024 for the AJC and Fondapol. It reveals that it is the majority of French people of Muslim faith who adhere to the following statements: “Israel behaves with the Palestinians as the Nazis behaved with the Jews” (65% of French people of Muslim faith); “Jews are richer than the average French person” (53%); “Jews have too much power in the media” (53%); “The Shoah prevents other historical tragedies” (61%).
Implementation of long-term measures
This persistence requires constant vigilance and the implementation of long-term measures; a multidimensional approach to combating anti-Semitism is necessary. First, faced with the risks of importing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is crucial to protect the French Jewish community. But we must also adopt “exemplary” vigilance and severity towards the perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts.
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Kangaroo of the day
Answer
I emphasize the need to strengthen education and training systems against cyberhate, particularly for young people and vulnerable groups. Precisely, in networks, it is necessary to force platforms to quickly process reports of hateful content. Finally, it is essential that politicians are aware of the impact of their words on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; irresponsible and violent speeches, in particular, can exacerbate tensions and fuel anti-Semitism in our country.
* Marc Knobel is a historian, former member of the scientific council of the Interministerial Delegation for the fight against racism, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBTQ hatred (Dilcrah). He is notably the author of Cyberhate. Propaganda, anti-Semitism on the Internet (Hermann, 238 p., 24 €).
