Poll: Jews losing favor with Europeans

By · July 17, 2007

A survey of six European countries found an increase in negative attitudes toward Jews.

The survey, conducted a month ago by the Anti-Defamation League in Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Holland, Switzerland and Britain, found favorable views of Israel on the rise and predominantly negative attitudes toward Iran and Hamas. But respondents said they had more sympathy for the Palestinians than for Israel, and negative attitudes toward Jews in general increased from a 2005 survey.

Approximately half the Europeans surveyed said Jews are more loyal to Israel than to their own country, and more than a third said Jews have too much power in business and finance. A majority of respondents in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland said they believe American Jews control U.S. policy on the Middle East.

“More than a decade after the fall of communism, we hoped that such anti-Jewish attitudes would have begun to diminish rather than increase,” ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said.

Asked about boycotts against Israel by British-based groups, 43 percent of British respondents said they opposed the boycotts while 37 percent expressed support for them.

Among the six countries polled, anti-Semitic attitudes were found to be lowest among respondents from the Netherlands.