Recognizing a Palestinian state should not be a priority for Europe until antisemitism is effectively addressed, according to a leading rabbi.

The president of the Conference of European Rabbis and the exiled chief rabbi of Moscow, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, stated on Planet Chronicle Digital that the recognition of a Palestinian state by Spain, Norway, and Ireland has made the past seven months "the most difficult time" for European Jews "since the Holocaust." He added that this recognition is politically correct to be an antisemit again.

Goldschmidt emphasized the importance of Ireland, Norway, and Spain comprehending that their declaration affects not only the Middle East but also the lives and security of their Jewish citizens.

To achieve a two-state solution, the population must be deradicalized. However, as long as the population is controlled by Iranian proxies and a totalitarian ideology of radical Islam, it will not bring peace but rather war.

Spain

The Spanish government has announced its intention to diplomatically recognize a Palestinian state with its pre-1967 borders, according to an AP report. This recognition is not against the Israeli people but is instead in favor of peace, justice, and moral consistency. On May 23, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz posted a video to X in which she stated that "Palestinians will be free from the river to the sea." However, the Times of Israel reported that Díaz later claimed that her use of the phrase was intended to support a two-state solution. For many, the phrase is considered a call to eliminate the state of Israel.

The Jewish community is worried that pro-Palestinian views in Spain have resulted in more antisemitism within the community.

Jewish leaders wrote an open letter to the Spanish Conference of Rectors in early May, criticizing their "complacency and permissiveness" in allowing antisemitic demonstrations on Spanish campuses since Oct. 7. In their letter, leaders also pointed out that the Spanish Conference of Rectors only rejected the terror attack, which they referred to as a "military escalation," and did not condemn it.

In the six months after Oct. 7, the Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience recorded 36 incidents targeting Spain's Jewish community. These attacks included a synagogue assault, boycotts of Jewish businesses, a Star of David displayed on a gallows, and antisemitic graffiti at a Barcelona school that read "Hitler was right."

Ireland

The Irish Prime Minister, Simon Harris, stated that the establishment of a Palestinian state would promote peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. This peace would respect the legitimate aspirations of all individuals in the region to live with dignity, justice, security, and respect, free from violence or the threat of violence.

Some Irish leaders have been criticized for stoking anti-Israel tensions at home.

Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Jewish Representative Council in Ireland, stated on Oct. 18 that Irish Jews felt supported by their communities after Hamas' attack, but that parliamentary members' statements were "inadequate."

In April, the Israel-Palestinian conflict curriculum in primary and secondary schools received criticism from Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress. Lauder stated that the lessons accused Israel of genocide, ignored Hamas' atrocities, and urged students to fight for Palestinian justice without mentioning a peace process that would involve Israel.

The Jewish Congress requested the Irish government to stop using the harmful curriculum and instead adopt one that promotes peace and accurately reflects historical events.

The Jewish state faces significant hostility from Israeli officials, while Ireland's Jewish population is relatively small at approximately 2,200 members.

Norway

Norwegian leaders have confirmed that they will upgrade their diplomatic office in the West Bank to an embassy as a recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Oslo's Rabbi Joav Melchior stated in February that Norway has experienced a wave of antisemitism that the country has not seen before, and Norwegian Jews are now debating whether to stay in the country.

In May, Espen Barth Eide, Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, was captured in a photo with Mona Osman, the daughter of Palestinian terrorist Walid Osman. Osman was a member of a Palestinian Liberation Organization splinter group that carried out a 1982 attack on Paris Jews, resulting in six fatalities, including two Americans. In the photo, Osman's daughter holds a sign that reads "F--- Israel, F--- capitalism, F--- NATO."

The Foreign Ministry stated that Eide was unaware of the text and consistently supports NATO and Israel. Osman bragged on social media about "radicalizing" Foreign Minister Eide.

Hate spreads

In several European countries, synagogues have been attacked and Jewish cemeteries and graves have been vandalized or damaged.

In Milan, murals depicting young Holocaust victims, including Anne Frank, were vandalized. Additionally, Holocaust memorials in Drancy and Paris, Rome, Berlin, and Copenhagen have been defaced.

In March, a Swiss teen attacked a 50-year-old Jewish man in Zurich, prompting Swiss authorities to boost security at Jewish establishments. In May, the president of the Union of Jewish Students of Belgium was assaulted at a violent anti-Israel protest at Brussels University, as reported by Reuters.

In 2023, 2,140 of the 4,103 antisemitic events in the U.K. occurred in London. Israeli Minister Amichai Chikli labeled London the "most antisemitic city" due to the "atmosphere created by pro-Hamas supporters."

Rabbi Goldschmidt stated that Israelis still face the daunting reality that living next to Hamas is unbearable. He added that the only discourse taking place in Israeli society today is about which should come first: the release of hostages or the annihilation of Hamas.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.