Germany's Merz blames migration for 'imported' rising anti-Semitism

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said migration is a significant factor behind the rise of anti-Semitism in Germany, calling it a "terrible challenge" for the country.

"We have a sort of imported anti-Semitism with the big numbers of migrants we have within the last 10 years," Merz said late on Thursday in an interview with US broadcaster Fox News.

The phrase "imported anti-Semitism" has stirred controversy in Germany. It suggests that anti-Semitism is mainly a result of immigration, a view often echoed in right-wing circles.

Critics say the term unfairly targets Muslims and migrants, while downplaying anti-Semitism within broader German society.

Anti-Semitic incidents in Germany surged sharply in 2024, according to figures published by a monitoring organization on Wednesday.

The report from the Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS) documented 8,627 anti-Semitic incidents — a 77% increase compared to the previous year.

Of these, 5,857 cases were classified as "anti-Semitism related to Israel" - meaning incidents in which Jews living in Germany are held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government, or where Israel's right to exist is disputed.

The figure was more than twice as many as recorded in 2023.

A total of 544 cases were attributed to right-wing extremist views, a record since RIAS began documenting cases nationwide in 2020.

"We are doing everything we can to bring these numbers down," Merz said, adding that Germany was prosecuting those who break the law.