A sidewalk in central Paris was defaced on Monday with graffiti reading "Jews to the oven."
The virulently anti-Semitic slogan infuriated the local Jewish community.
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Yaakov Hagoel, acting chairman of the World Zionist Organization, said in response to the incident that "Diaspora Jews are crying out for security, justice, and a calm life. It's time to devote effort and resources to an uncompromising battle against anti-Semitism. Education, laws, and even strict enforcement in cases of hate speech, threats, or attacks are vital in every country right now, and sooner rather than later."
Last month, the French police arrested five members of a neo-Nazi cell who were planning to carry out terrorist attacks on Jewish and Muslim places of worship throughout France. France 24 reported that a senior French legal official said that the cell members who were arrested "held opinions similar to those of the Nazis."
Europe in general and France, in particular, have seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in recent years. A new survey conducted by the Conference of European Rabbis, which represents hundreds of Jewish communities on the continent, indicated that nearly half (49%) of Israeli travelers were afraid they would encounter anti-Semitism while abroad. More than half (55%) of parents of young children said they were afraid of being targeted in anti-Semitic attacks.
In addition, 71% of respondents said they believed that European Jews were no longer safe in their own countries. When asked if European Jews should move to Israel, 91% of respondents said they should.
