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Analysis

Is the Israel-Hamas War Spilling Over Into Europe?

19 Dec 2023

In this analysis published by Lawfare, Thomas Renard and Joana Cook highlight the spillover effects of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Europe, detailing a surge in violence and hate crimes targeting minority groups. Antisemitic acts have sharply risen in countries like France and the U.K., while anti-Muslim incidents have also increased. The conflict has led to arrests, heightened threat levels, and reinstated border controls in some European nations. The potential consequences outlined include the risk of violent extremism, terrorism, and foreign influence, with state actors like Russia and Iran exploiting the situation. The text concludes by emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to address these threats, focusing on managing social polarization, countering hate speech, and promoting dialogue between affected communities. The authors emphasize the response of European leaders to these incidents is deemed crucial.

Read the full publication now on Lawfare's website 

 

Image Credit: Lawfare (www.lawfaremedia.org), December 2023. - German police watch over a pro-Palestine rally in Berlin, May 2021. (Montecruz Foto, https://tinyurl.com/2ktd5unt; CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)