Anti-Semitism: as much hatred of Jews as ever before in the net

Antisemitic statements are becoming more prevalent in social media and online forums, and they are becoming increasingly radical. Since 2007, the number of antisemitic comments online has tripled in the main information portals

This is the conclusion of a new long-term study of the Technical University of Berlin dealing with the Hatred of Jews on the Internet. The network acts as a multiplier, "because it makes anti-Semitism accessible on a large scale, it is spreading globally and at all levels of Web 2.0 and thus the normalization of Jewish hatred."

There are hardly any discursive areas There was a risk of encountering antisemitic texts, the researchers said. Hundreds of thousands of messages and comments online have been evaluated on social media and forums for the study.

Development in the virtual world is correlated with anti-Jewish attacks, threats and insults as well as fear and anxiety in the Jewish communities of Germany and Europe, write the authors. Last year, the police counted 1453 antisemitic crimes throughout the country. "Clbadical anti-Jewish sentiment" predominates

According to the study, the majority of anti-Semitic remarks in the net use stereotypes of the "clbadic anti-Jewish sentiment" that characterized speech before 1945 (Juden as "alien" or "conspirator" ). According to linguists, these "clbadic" stereotypes are often at the root of Muslim and Israeli anti-Semitism.

The latter "tends to become politically correct anti-Semitism" because of the opposition of civil society, politics and the judiciary. Anti-Semitic researcher Monika Schwarz-Friesel says: "Anti-Semites are becoming more open-minded."

One third of the statements reviewed were attributed to this category of Israeli Jewish hatred. The rest of the comments are taken under the term "post-Holocaust anti-Semitism", which is related to the defense of guilt or the refusal of remembrance.

Educational efforts of recent decades have not had widespread effect in society. disturbing phenomenon. The spread of such statements has reached a level that had never existed before in history, says the study.

That it is right, left or Muslim: the hatred of the Jews hardly differs

This is particularly evident in calls for anti-Jewish hate protests on Twitter or Facebook. In a few hours, the comments were "infiltrated by texts with many antisemitic and defensive reactions". The omnipresence of anti-Semitism "greatly increases and intensifies the scope of the sagacity and visibility of anti-Semitism."

Despite the different political and ideological attitudes of users, anti-Semitic statements are similar to stereotypes and arguments. It does not matter whether the authors belong to the political right, left or center or that they are Muslims.

Instead of obvious terms such as Jewish or Judaism, users often used "substitutions like" Israelis "," Zionism "," Rothschild ", vague paraphrases like" these influential circles "or rhetorical questions like" Why are the Zionists bad? "At the same time, according to the results, the taboo threshold is decreasing, so that anti-Semitism expresses itself more and more in Nazi comparisons or violent fantasies. [19659010] "Radicalization and disinhibition which concerns us deeply"

"Anti-Semitism is not just a system of prejudices, but a world-wide interpretation and belief system anchored in western thought and feeling structures," said the study. abstract.

A representative of the Israeli government said: Be aware of the phenomenon: "It is related to Muslim migrants and the rise of the far right, and we are aware that there is more to antisemitic attacks in the streets of Germany. "

The President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, said: "Gradually, verbal radicalization and disinhibition took place that deeply worries us." Anti-Semitism on the Internet is not virtual, but a real threat. The International Committee of Auschwitz spoke of an alarm signal for the policy, the network operators and the people who were involved in the network.