France, Germany, Austria and the UK have decided to increase the protection of Jewish schools, institutions and places of worship in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel, with French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin saying the main reason for the increased protection was to prevent any potential spillover and Austria’s politicians taking aim at protesters supporting Hamas.
France issued the order after Hamas, which the European Union, the US and several other countries view as a terrorist organisation, launched a large-scale coordinated assault from the Gaza Strip onto Israel on Friday.
“What we fear are the spillover effects, the chain reactions. There are dormant terrorism cells in Europe that can reactivate at any time, we know that”, Yohnathan Arfi, President of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) told radio station France Culture.
Friday’s attack, like others carried out by Hamas, is somewhat symbolic as it was carried out on almost the same day as the October War 50 years ago, also known as the Yom Kippur War.
“I always remind people that the terrorist attacks on the Hyper Cacher [January 2015 in Paris] and in Toulouse [March 2012] were carried out by terrorists who, in their justification, referred to the situation between Israel and the Palestinians” warned Arfi.
Increased police protection in UK, Germany, Austria
“Whenever Israel is attacked, Islamists and other racists use Israeli defensive measures as a pretext to stir up hatred against British Jews,” UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman wrote on X.
“I expect the police to use the full force of the law against displays of support for Hamas” she added in response to images of people appearing to celebrate the attacks in London.
Germany also reacted to Hamas’ strike by increasing the protection of Jews and Israeli institutions, with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announcing on X that “the protection of Jews in Germany is our utmost priority”.
“In the area around Sonnenallee, individuals gathered to celebrate the attack on Israel. […] Due to repeated anti-Israel and violence-glorifying statements, it was dissolved shortly after it began”, Berlin police informed Saturday night on X.
On Sunday, Berlin police deployed 450 officers to “provide security for a solidarity demonstration in favour of Israel at the Brandenburger Tor”, German’s icon of reunification and peace.
Austria’s response was also clear-cut, with top-level politicians expressing their shock.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. There is no excuse for terror,” said Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
“Hamas’ ongoing brutal attack on Israel and the terror and violence it is waging against innocent people,” said a “horrified” President Alexander Van der Bellen.
Condemnation also came from the opposition, with Social Democrat leader Andreas Babler saying he condemned the “brutal attack” in the “strongest possible terms”, while also reminding his party that “there is no justification for this violence”.
In Vienna, a small number of pro-Hamas demonstrators showed their support for the attack on Saturday night and Sunday, Kollektiv Communique reported.
Austria’s surveillance of key Israeli institutions and facilities had also been upped hours after the attack, Austria’s Interior Ministry confirmed.
“The Office for the Protection of the Constitution consistently takes action against all forms of Islamist extremism and terrorism,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.
(Théophane Hartmann | Euractiv.fr, Nikolaus J. Kurmayer | Euractiv.de)
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