Pro-Hamas demonstrators marching in Munich, Germany. Photo: Reuters/Alexander Pohl
The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), a nonprofit group based in Brussels, on Monday issued a blistering statement condemning anti-Zionist Jewish groups, calling them “divisive” and a source of “chaos.”
“Anti-Zionist Jewish groups constitute a small dissonant voice within the broader Jewish community,” EUJS said. “Claiming to represent the voice of global Jewry, their divisive nature disrupts the unity that is crucial for fostering a thriving and supportive environment, causing significant chaos within our Jewish communities without taking into account the difficulties and antisemitic incidents our communities have been facing since October 7th.”
The statement comes amid an uptick of anti-Zionist activity in Europe from groups such as Na’amod in the UK, Jüdische Stimme (Jewish Voice) in Germany, and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) on college campuses in the US, all of which have promoted claims of Israeli apartheid and genocide.
EUJS ‘s statement, which was co-signed by 20 national Jewish student unions from across Europe, noted that Jewish anti-Zionist groups have been used as props by pro-boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS) organizations that “tokenise Jews and distort the true essence of what Zionism means.”
“This manipulation not only endangers the welfare of the Jewish people but also negatively influences the online debate, spreading misinformation and altering the public perception of reality,” the group added.
Based in Berlin, Jüdische Stimme has been most vitriolic in its promotion of extreme anti-Zionism. On January 27, it will mark Holocaust Remembrance Day by holding an event titled “Never Again Is Now, Never Again for All: Jews Against the Gaza Genocide” at the Neptune Fountain in Berlin. Since Hamas’ massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, the group has endorsed the chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is widely interpreted as calling for a genocide of Jews in Israel. It has also amplified efforts to label Israel as an apartheid state.
“It is crucial to acknowledge the potential damage anti-Zionist Jewish organizations bring to the image of the Jewish people.” EUJS said in Monday’s statement. “Their actions still risk perpetuating harmful stereotypes and misconceptions about the Jewish community, leading to increased prejudice and discrimination.”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
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