The terrorist attack on a San Diego synagogue, six months to the date after the terrorist attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue, was yet another painful reminder of two disturbing facts: (1) antisemitism is alive and deadly; and (2) antisemitism is part of the polarized partisan debate. As three victims were still being cared for in a San Diego hospital, conservatives from Meghan McCain to the Zionist of America (ZOA) president, Morton Klein, were trying to link the terrorist attack to Muslim members of Congress – even though the suspected terrorist is both antisemitic and Islamophobic.

Antisemitism is too serious to either ignore or instrumentalize. Often dubbed the “oldest hatred”, it is also still one of the most widely spread. According to a much-quoted 2014 survey by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), more than 1 billion people in the world “harbor antisemitic attitudes”. In western Europe the levels of antisemitism varied from 5% in the Netherlands to 69% in Greece, while in North America the range was from 9% in the US to 24% in Mexico. While the ADL study has been criticized for its methodology, the findings overall are consistent with other antisemitism studies, at least in terms of which countries are relatively high and low.

More important is the trend, which is not that straightforward – in part because of the lack of reliable, comparative data – in terms of both space and time. In the US, studies find that the population has become slightly less antisemitic between 1964 and 2016, but slightly more between 2014 and 2017. In Europe, many studies show a slight increase in antisemitic attitudes in the 21st century, including in countries where levels were already high (eg Greece, Hungary and Poland).

The biggest, and most worrying, increase in antisemitism is not seen in terms of attitudes, which are by definition relatively stable, but in terms of incidents, violent and non-violent. As the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) summarized the European situation in 2016: “European Jews are consistently subject to physical violence, insults, discrimination, harassment (online and in person), attacks against property, and the desecration of places of worship and cemeteries.”

In the US, the rise of antisemitic incidents predates the electoral victory of Donald Trump, but it has exploded since

In the US, the rise of antisemitic incidents predates the electoral victory of Donald Trump, but it has exploded since his rise to the presidency. According to the ADL, antisemitic incidents “surged nearly 60%” in 2017! Unsurprising, then, that many Jews in Europe and North America feel less safe and more targeted.

They also feel abandoned by both the left and the right, whom they accuse of ignoring antisemitism to appease other parts of the population: Muslim immigrants on the left and nativist whites on the right. The first part of the accusation is also actively propagated by rightwing forces in Israel, most notably Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, who has used antisemitic attacks by jihadist terrorists to call upon Jews to leave Europe for their “natural home”, Israel.

It is up to Americans and Europeans to show Jews that they are safe and welcome in their home countries – at least as safe and welcome as the rest of the population. This means taking antisemitism seriously, both in terms of attitudes and “incidents”, irrespective of their origins. We know, for example, that antisemitic attitudes are more widespread among Muslims than non-Muslims within Europe and that antisemitic incidents correlate to some extent with specific military actions by the Israeli state. Calling this out is neither a sign of Islamophobia nor support for Israel’s military actions.

Sadly, many people only recognize antisemitism when it comes from the other political camp. The right is keen to call out the antisemitism from the left, but is often apologetic or forgiving towards antisemitism from the right. Just look at the condemnations over alleged antisemitic remarks by new congresswoman Ilhan Omar by Republicans who have stayed mute over Trump’s clearly antisemitic remarks. Or Conservatives in the UK who excel at criticizing the “deep-seated” antisemitism in the Labour party, but fail at dealing with the even higher levels of antisemitism within their own party (let alone dealing with the Islamophobia and racism by leading Tory members).

Similarly, the left is the first to hold Trump accountable for antisemitic incidents, from Pittsburgh to San Diego, but often remains deaf to accusations of antisemitism within the left, including on university campuses. Too many have ignored or minimalized the chronic antisemitism within their own camp, including within some of the major leftwing parties, such as Britain’s Labour party or Germany’s leftwing Die Linke party.

As long as antisemitism remains primarily a partisan issue, to be used in the political battle against “the other side”, it is not really taken seriously. It is not enough to call out antisemitism among others. We have to call it out among ourselves. Like Islamophobia and racism, antisemitism is a serious problem within our societies, and while Jews are no longer socioeconomically marginalized in most countries, they continue to deserve protection and solidarity.

It is time to recommit to the promise our forefathers (and mothers) made almost 75 years ago, in the wake of the greatest human tragedy in history, the Holocaust: Never again!