(Brussels 1 October 2024) As the anniversary of the October 7th massacre approaches, and amid the ongoing war in Gaza, the escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the broader conflict in the Middle East is being imported to the streets of Europe’s main cities and endangering the social fabric and traditional liberal values of the continent.
Experts from Iran, the Gulf States, Israel and Europe warn that antisemitic threats and attacks across Europe are far too organized to be spontaneous and European governments should focus on the networks behind them. Countries need to understand the difference between a strategic and tactical approach to violence.
The experts spoke at a special conference to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2024, which was held yesterday by Europe Israel Press Association and American Middle East Press Association – two independent NGOs About who brought around 70 journalists and editors from top flight European publications to Brussels to ask the pertinent question: What comes next?
The panel on growing imported radicalism in Europe was opened by the Senior Director of Berlin’s Counter Extremism Project, Dr Hans Jakob Schindler who warned: “Since October 7th, we’ve seen extreme antisemitism operationalised, particularly in academia, where post-colonial theory is being used to justify it. The growing scale of online platforms makes it impossible to fully moderate the content fueling this radicalization.”
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association and Founder of EIPA AND AMEPA emphasized: “The rise of extremism in Europe poses a serious threat to the very foundations of our Western values — democracy, tolerance, and human rights. The tragic events of October 7th remind us that we cannot afford complacency in the face of hatred and violence. It is imperative that we invest in education to instill these values in the next generation and strengthen law enforcement to protect all communities. We must unite against this scourge to ensure a safer and more just society for all. The EJA will lead a delegation of Ministers of Education and deans of major Universities to Auschwitz next month to facilitate a much needed re-focus on these areas”.
Director of IRGC Research at United Against a Nuclear Iran, Kasra Aarabi warned about Iranian infiltration and activities on European soil: “There are Islamist schools and centres in cities like London and Paris that are nurturing homegrown terrorists. European officials are hesitant to proscribe the IRGC for fear of being labelled Islamophobic, which can end a civil servant’s career. There is an urgent need to counter online extremist content, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Meanwhile, European policymakers are reluctant to challenge countries like Qatar, where money often shields them from scrutiny. Iran’s regime excels in asymmetric warfare, using chaos to destabilize both the Middle East and Europe by targeting diaspora communities.”
Speaking on the eve of Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon Former national security adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel and a retired Israeli Major General Yaakov Amidror, said: “The severe attack on October 7th was a result of Israel’s focus on Lebanon, and even today I believe it was the right decision to prioritize the Iranian threat from Hezbollah, which posed a far greater danger than Hamas. Without the events of October 7th, I’m not sure whether any Prime Minister in Israel would have been able to declare a pre-emptive war—due to pressures from Europe, the U.S., and internal factors within Israel. However, it is now clear that in the future, Israel cannot allow Iran’s proxies to grow unchecked into monstrous threats along its borders. Israel can no longer depend on other countries for ammunition and spare parts. While we may not be able to produce our own planes and submarines, we must invest in self-production capabilities and develop tools that will enable us to strike in Iran, Yemen, or any other location where a significant existential threat emerges. Israel will have to significantly expand the size of its army and increase defense spending, while maintaining a balance with its other economic challenges.”
On a deep dive into the situation in Gaza, Lebanon, West Bank and Yemen, Gaith Al-Omari, a Palestinian Expert and Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute set the scene: “We must remember the human cost of these conflicts—those murdered on October 7th, the hostages, their families, and the Palestinians killed in the war. Our politics must be grounded in a human perspective. Hezbollah is not just a proxy; it is the launchpad for Iranian policies. Hamas, though now destroyed as a military organisation, remains a significant disruptive force, and it will take years to change that. At the end of the day, a two-state solution must remain the future aspiration, but it depends on Israeli and Palestinian politics and effective governance. After October 7th, mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians runs deeper than ever, reminding us all that the Palestinian issue is far from over.”
He was followed by Ahmed Alkhuzai, the Director of US Affairs at the Gulf Israel Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, who said in his remarks: “The Iranian proxies are the greatest plague in the Middle East, and while Arab countries have been unable to eradicate them, Israel is now doing so on behalf of the region and the world. Iran avoids direct conflict with Israel, preferring to wage war through its proxies—it’s cheaper for them, both financially and emotionally. As for the future, Israel is postponing discussions on the two-state solution until it finishes confronting these proxies.”
On EU-Israel relations on the post October 7th Landscape, His Excellency Amb. Haim Regev, Israel’s Head of Mission to the EU and NATO discussed what has been a difficult year. He said: “The media often forgets how this war began, which is why we must continue to highlight the events of October 7th. Israel left Gaza in 2005 with the hope that it would thrive, but Hamas chose terror over progress. The main issue preventing an end to the war is the hostages. This war will not conclude until they are safely home. Israel is confronting multiple threats on all fronts, and no European country would tolerate the situation we face. Enough is enough—our war is not against Lebanon or its people, but against Hezbollah.”
He was joined by former Swedish European Parliamentarian David Lega, now a senior adviser of the EJA in Scandinavia, who gave his experience of EU-Israel challenges and opportunities: “The relationship between the EU and Israel has always been complex. While the international community acknowledges Israel’s right to defend itself, it faces heavy criticism the moment it acts on that right. European Jews are increasingly concerned about their future on the continent. High Representative Josep Borrell has failed to represent the EU’s views, opting instead to impose his personal perspective. However, with the new composition of the European Parliament, there is a more unified and pro-Israel stance. Israel has a moral imperative to defend its citizens as the homeland of the Jewish people, and any negotiation must prioritize the safe return of the hostages. A strong EU-Israel relationship benefits the world, and we must protect Israel, the only democracy in this volatile region.”
The panel on the Russia-Iran Axis and its threats to the EU, US and Israel saw Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Behnam Ben Taleblu open with incisive remarks: “Hezbollah is the most successful export of the 1979 Iranian revolution, the ‘crown jewel.’ While Israel’s conventional success against Iran may lead to long-term nuclear challenges, Iran has been supplying Russia with drones and missiles, receiving cash, gold, and even nuclear assistance in return. Russia provides Iran with both status and security. As diplomacy with Iran faces an expiration in 2025, the only true solution lies in a fundamentally different regime in Tehran.” He was immediately followed by Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) Beni Sabti, who gave some detailed insight into the Iranian strategy post October 7: “80% of Iranians didn’t vote in the last elections, highlighting the regime’s illegitimacy. While Tehran faces daily electricity outages and collapsing infrastructure, the regime chooses to invest in Hamas and Hezbollah, rather than its own people. Iran’s leadership is driven by hubris, believing it is on a messianic path to destroy Israel. The collaboration between Iran and Russia poses a significant threat not just to the Middle East but also to Europe, as Iranian agents spread instability and radical propaganda across the continent. Israel will not allow Iran to go nuclear—it’s a matter of survival.”
The Conference finished with a live broadcast from the United States with John Spencer, West Point Academy’ urban warfare expert, who gave his perspective of the combat challenges currently being faced by Israel in areas of high population density where human shields are used. He said: “Israel faces an unprecedented military challenge with Hezbollah, a terrorist army of over 200,000 soldiers, disguising military sites as civilian ones in southern Lebanon. Despite the complexities, Israel remains committed to minimizing civilian casualties, even under the harshest conditions. As Israel works to secure its northern border, it must create a new security paradigm to address this evolving threat.”
The invited journalists then heard from a survivor of the Kibbutz Nir Oz massacre, Irit Lahav, who gave harrowing testimony and her hopes for the future: “One-third of the people from my kibbutz were murdered or abducted. We stayed in the safe room for twelve hours, listening to the constant sound of gunfire and terrorists trying to break in. When we were rescued, our house was destroyed, but we were just happy to be alive. before October 7th I helped take Palestinians from Gaza once a week for medical treatments in Israel and I will continue to do so even after the horrors we suffered – but unfortunately, on October 7th I saw with my own eyes that it is not only the Hamas activists who are filled with hatred and strive to destroy Israel. The entire population of Gaza, men and women, young and old, share the ambition to kill all the citizens of Israel.
I thought people in Gaza wanted peace like us, but now I understand that they are teaching their children to take pride in killing. My heart breaks because the world and our own government are not doing enough to free the hostages.”