MOSCOW, November 7 (RIA Novosti) — Russia is a safe and calm place for Jews compared to Western Europe, now facing a rise in anti-Semitism, Alexander Boroda, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, told RIA Novosti Friday.
"In recent years cases of anti-Semitism have become more frequent in Europe, especially in those countries where there are many inhabitants of Arab origin, such as France or Britain. In this respect, Russia remains a 'safe haven' in comparison with Western Europe," Boroda told RIA Novosti.
In 2012, 177 cases anti-Semitic violence were reported in France, and 69 cases took place in Britain, according to Boroda. In 2013 some 200 anti-Semitic incidents happened in Germany.
These numbers are considerably higher than those for Russia: in 2013 there were 27 cases of violence and vandalism, and no cases have been reported this year, Boroda emphasized.
The main reason for anti-Semitic violence is the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict, Boroda highlighted.
With an unprecedented number of migrants arriving in the European Union in recent years from outside of Europe, there has been a rise in nationalist tendencies and an advent of right-wing parties all across Europe, mostly manifest in countries like Britain, France, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria and the Netherlands.
According to Boroda, new phenomena like "migrantophobia" and "Islamophobia" are also aiding the rise of anti-Semitism.
