Attitudes Toward Jews in Twelve European Countries

Transcription

1 Attitudes Toward Jews in Twelve European Countries May 2005 Prepared by: First International Resources, LLC 823 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY

2 2 Table of Contents Methodology 3 Anti-Semitism in Europe 4 Trends in Anti-Semitic Attitudes 13 Age and Education 26

3 3 Methodology First International Resources was commissioned by the Anti- Defamation League to research attitudes and opinions toward Jews in twelve European countries. Our research focused on the prevalent attitudes of the general public in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and for the first time, Poland and Hungary. Data results for each individual country were weighted based on age and gender. The completed interview data underwent minor weighting to national population data using official government information on age and gender. In addition to the individual country results, we have compiled overall European statistics which take into account the findings from the twelve countries surveyed as a whole. These European figures are combined results from our surveys, with each country s findings being weighted equally as one-twelfth of the whole. Fieldwork was done by Taylor Nelson Sofres, which conducted a total of 6,000 telephone interviews in each of the twelve countries -- among the general public between April May 6, Interviews were conducted in the native language of each of the countries and were completed by TNS. The margin of error for each country is +/- 4.5 at 95% level of confidence.

4 4 Anti-Semitism in Europe As with previous surveys, data from the 2005 European tracking poll indicates that significant percentages of European respondents continue to believe in some of the most pernicious anti-semitic stereotypes. Respondents across the continent were asked whether or not they thought the following four statements were probably true or probably false. 1) Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country. 2) power in the business world. 3) power in international financial markets. 4) Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust Respondents were also asked whether they agree or disagree with the following statement: The Jews are responsible for the death of Christ Finally, respondents were asked if their opinion of Jews was influenced by actions taken by the State of Israel and whether they believed the violence directed against European Jews was a result of anti-jewish feelings or anti-israel sentiment.

5 5 (1) Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country. Percent responding probably true 60% 55% 40% 38% 41% 43% 36% 37% 52% 51% 38% 39% 30% 29% 10% 0% Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Hungary Italy Poland Spain Switzerland UK The data indicates that Europeans continue to question the loyalty of their Jewish citizens. Overall, a plurality of those surveyed across Europe, 43 percent, believe that Jews are more loyal to Israel than to their own country. A majority of respondents in Italy, Germany, Poland and Spain responded believe that this statement is probably true. In fact, in ten of the twelve countries surveyed, a plurality of respondents agree with the characterization that Jews are more loyal to Israel than to their own country.

6 6 (2) power in the business world. Percent responding probably true 60% 55% 43% 45% 40% 33% 33% 30% 24% 25% 26% 18% 10% 11% 14% 0% Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Hungary Italy Poland Spain Switzerland UK Alarmingly high levels of those surveyed across Europe still believe in the traditional anti-jewish canard that Jews have too much power in the business world. Overall, nearly 30 percent of all respondents believe this stereotype to be true. Half of Hungarian respondents, 55 percent, believe that Jews have too much power in the business world.

7 7 (3) power in international financial markets. Percent responding probably true 60% 55% 54% 43% 40% 30% 33% 33% 32% 30% 24% 24% 21% 19% 16% 10% 0% Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Hungary Italy Poland Spain Switzerland UK Similarly, European respondents still adhere to the notion that power in international financial markets. Overall, 32 percent of those surveyed cling to the traditional stereotype that Jews exert too much influence over international financial markets. A majority of Spanish and Hungarian respondents believe the above statement to be probably true.

8 8 (4) Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust. Percent responding probably true 60% 46% 48% 46% 49% 52% 46% 48% 41% 40% 35% 34% 34% 30% 28% 10% 0% A ust ria B elg ium D enmark F rance Germany Ho lland Hung ary It aly Po land Sp ain Swit zerland U K Large portions of the European public continue to believe that Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust. Overall, 42 percent of those surveyed believe it is probably true that Jews still talk too much about the Holocaust. In fact, a plurality of respondents in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain and Switzerland believe this notion to be true.

9 9 (5) The Jews are responsible for the death of Christ. Percent responding strongly agree + somewhat agree 40% 39% 30% 16% 19% 22% 18% 18% 19% 13% 14% 10% 0% A ust ria B elg ium D enmark F rance Germany Ho lland Hung ary It aly Po land Sp ain Swit zerland U K A significant percentage of those surveyed across Europe continue to blame Jews for the death of Jesus. Overall, 20 percent agree with the statement that Jews are responsible for the death of Christ. More than a third of Polish respondents, 39 percent, agree with this statement -- the highest percentage of all the countries surveyed.

10 10 (6a) Is your opinion of Jews influenced by actions taken by the State of Israel? Percent responding yes 40% 36% 34% 37% 41% 30% 28% 31% 26% 25% 28% 28% 22% 15% 10% 0% A ust ria B elg ium D enmark F rance Germany Ho lland Hung ary It aly Po land Sp ain Swit zerland U K Overall, 29 percent of those surveyed across Europe say that their opinion of Jews is influenced by the actions taken by the State of Israel. More than a third of those surveyed in Switzerland, Spain, Austria and Denmark view Jews differently as a result of the actions taken by Israel.

11 11 Respondents who answered yes in question 6a were then asked the following questions: (6b) Is your opinion of Jews better or worse? Percent responding worse 80% 70% 60% 49% 63% 62% 51% 69% 59% 56% 40% 39% 38% 39% 42% 30% 10% 0% Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Hungary Italy Poland Spain Switzerland UK Overall, of those respondents whose opinions are influenced, a majority, 53 percent, say that their opinion of Jews is worse as a result of the actions taken by Israel. Respondents in Spain (69 percent), Belgium (63 percent) and Holland (62 percent) are most likely to view Jews more negatively as a result of actions taken by the State of Israel.

12 12 (7) In your opinion, is the violence directed against European Jews a result of anti-jewish feelings or a result of anti- Israel sentiment? 70% 65% 60% 40% 30% 27% 39% 23% 41% 36% 27% 43% 44% 17% 27% 32% 39% 34% 21% 18% 31% 27% 46% 24% 33% 10% 10% 0% Austria B elgium Denmark France Germany Holland Hungary Italy Poland Spain Switzerland UK Anti-Jew ish Feelings Anti-Israel Sentim ent Overall, 39 percent of those surveyed believe that the violence directed against European Jews is a result of anti-israel sentiment while 23 percent believe it is a result of anti-jewish feelings. Danish respondents are most likely to believe that anti-israel sentiment in the reason for behind the violence directed at European Jews. Polish respondents are most likely to believe that anti-jewish feelings are the cause of violence directed against Europe s Jews.

13 13 Trends in Anti-Semitic Attitudes In 2004, the Anti-Defamation League conducted similar surveys of European attitudes toward Jews. The following section compares results from the 2004 survey with results from the recently completed 2005 tracking survey. The 2005 survey indicates that over the past year there has been some decline in the acceptance of certain traditional anti- Semitic stereotypes in the European countries tested. However, the opposite is true among respondents in Denmark, where trends actually point to an increase in the percentage of people agreeing with each of the traditional anti-semitic stereotypes tested. Additionally, Spanish respondents are more likely to question the loyalty of their Jewish citizens than they were in Since 2004, there has been an increase in the percentage of Italian respondents who believe that power in the business world. The data indicates that those surveyed in Italy and Spain are now more likely to think that Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust. There has been a slight increase in the belief that Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Holland and Switzerland. Given that 2005 was the first time polling was conducted in Hungary and Poland, there are no previous results with which to compare.

14 14 AUSTRIA Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 38% 46% power in the business world 24% 25% power in international financial markets 33% 36% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 46% 54% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

15 15 BELGIUM Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 41% 46% power in the business world 33% 37% power in international financial markets 33% 36% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 40% 41% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

16 16 DENMARK Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 37% 43% power in the business world 9% 11% power in international financial markets 18% 21% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 29% 35% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

17 17 FRANCE Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 28% 29% power in the business world 25% 33% power in international financial markets 24% 29% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 35% 34% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

18 18 GERMANY Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country power in the business world 24% power in international financial markets 24% 27% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 48% 56% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

19 19 THE NETHERLANDS Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 36% 44% power in the business world 18% 18% power in international financial markets 19% 19% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 34% 39% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

20 20 ITALY Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 55% 57% 2004 power in the business world 29% 33% 2005 power in international financial markets 31% 32% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 44% 49% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

21 21 SPAIN Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 48% 51% 2004 power in the business world 45% 47% 2005 power in international financial markets 53% 54% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 41% 46% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

22 22 SWITZERLAND Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 38% 46% power in the business world 26% 35% power in international financial markets 30% 38% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 49% 48% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

23 23 UNITED KINGDOM Percent responding probably true to each statement Jews are more loyal to Israel than to this country 38% 40% power in the business world 14% power in international financial markets 16% 18% Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust 28% 31% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%

24 24 Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with the following statement: The Jews are responsible for the death of Christ. Percent responding strongly agree + somewhat agree 30% 22% 23% 14% 16% 16% 19% 18% 15% 13% 18% 15% 19% 18% 14% 17% 19% 10% 0% A ustria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Italy Spain Switzerland UK

25 25 In your opinion, is the violence directed against European Jews a result of anti-jewish feelings or a result of anti-israel sentiment? 40% Percent responding anti-jewish feelings 32% 30% 27% 27% 27% 10% 18% 23% 14% 10% 15% 17% 12% 22% 17% 18% 13% 24% 14% 6% 0% Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Italy Spain Switzerland UK % 70% 60% 40% 30% 56% 55% 41% 39% 70% 65% 36% Percent responding anti-israel sentiment 59% 43% 60% 44% 41% 39% 31% 60% 46% 51% 33% 10% 0% Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Holland Italy Spain Switzerland UK

26 26 Age and Education The data indicates that age and education are key factors in determining the likelihood of a respondent believing in traditional anti-semitic stereotypes. Those over the age of 65 and those who completed their education by age 17 or before, are more likely than the rest of the population to agree with the anti-semitic characterizations presented in the survey. The following table illustrates this trend in the twelve countries surveyed. Percent responding probably true to each statement 43% Jew s are m ore loyal to Israel than to this country 48% Jew s have too m uch pow er in the business world 29% 33% 40% Overall Age 65+ Jew s have too m uch pow er in international financial markets 32% 33% 43% Completed education by age 17 or before Jew s still talk too m uch about w hat happened to them in the Holocaust 43% 49% 51% 0% 10% 30% 40% 60% 70%