A recent research by PEW has found that anti-Semitism has increased significantly in Europe.

During the last four years, Europeans’ attitude towards in Jews in general and Israel specifically has become increasingly negative, the research shows.

From it:

A disturbing new trend is emerging across Europe. Anti-Semitism and xenophobia are on the rise. A growing minority of citizens in several European countries holds unfavorable opinions of Jews. Negative views of Israel, sympathy with the Palestinian cause, rising anti-Americanism, and a backlash against globalization and immigration all play a role in this trend.

Research by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, as well as polls by the Anti-Defamation League, make clear that anti-Jewish sentiments are increasing. Granted, the breadth of European anti-Semitism should not be overstated. This rise in negative attitudes toward Jews has for the most part been modest, and anti-Jewish sentiments in Europe remain much less common than anti-Muslim views.

As Ed Morrissey (Hot Air) explains, PEW then explains that the situation has not gotten that bad by comparing it favorably to Jordan and Egypt, which is a very sad thing in itself; having to compare Europe to Jordan and Egypt isn’t exactly a compliment.

Anti-Semitism increased in all European countries but especially in Spain: anti-Semitism doubled there within only four years time. Today, 46% of Spaniards holds an unfavorable opinion of Jews. But in Poland, Russia, Germany and France too, the situation is worsening: 36% of the Polish people think negative of Jews, 34% in Russia, 25% in France and, lastly, 20% in Germany.

Not only is Europe becoming anti-Semitic, it is also becoming increasingly anti-Muslim. The PEW research shows that Jews are even better off than Muslims: 30% of Europeans have a negative opinion of Jews in general, while 42% hold negative views of Muslims.

Anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiments are linked to each other: they are signs of growing xenophobia in Europe. Europeans are increasingly anti-immigration, for instance, and anti-globalization. They want, the PEW research shows, isolate themselves from the world, while constantly talking about being a ‘world citizen’ nonetheless.

According to the research, anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic views are more likely among those who did not attend college. Both did not increase among those who did attend college.

This could become a major problem in Europe in the coming years – it could even, again as Morrissey points out in his post, influence Europe’s foreign policy tremendously. It is not clear in what way, however, considering the fact that Europeans still think more negative of Muslims (which concerns me a great deal obviously) than of Jews. They could side against Israel more often, one could say, but since they are anti-Muslim it is unlikely that they will side with Israel’s Muslim neighbors.

No, what it will likely do is the following: Europe may simply withdraw from the Middle East altogether, let ‘them’ sort it out themselves, the attitude will be. If Israel is attacked or faces other problems, Europeans will likely not care, same goes for when something happens to its Muslim Arab neighbors. As such, Israel may stand alone, if it was not for U.S. support – and in the Israel-Arab controversy, Israel desperately needs all the friends it can get.