Without taking action against radicalization, Europe risks losing stability

Significant cultural clashes between Western values – freedom of speech, secularism, and gender equality – and conservative Islamic norms exacerbate tensions.

By DAVID BEN-BASAT DECEMBER 7, 2024 10:04

PEOPLE MOURN in front of Le Petit Cambodge restaurant as they pay tribute to the victims of a series of deadly attacks in Paris, in November 2015. Since then, France has faced countless terror attacks and murders carried out by radicalized Muslim immigrants, says the writer. (photo credit: BENOIT TESSIER/REUTERS)

In November 2015, the ISIS terror organization struck at the heart of France’s capital. A series of coordinated attacks – including suicide bombings, shootings, and other acts of violence – claimed the lives of approximately 150 people and injured hundreds more. In response, then-President François Hollande declared a state of emergency, closing the nation’s borders for the first time since World War II. Paris came to a standstill. Its stock exchange, schools, and shopping centers were shuttered, and the Eiffel Tower was plunged into darkness. The nation declared three days of mourning.

Subsequently, France has faced many terror attacks and murders carried out by radicalized Muslim immigrants. Shocked citizens have struggled to comprehend how their nation, after offering refuge to those fleeing war and poverty, in return for its hospitality, had become the target of violence and terror in return.

Terrorism is not new. Its aim is political, social, or religious change through fear. Since the 19th century, modern terrorism has grown increasingly sophisticated. Groups such as the Palestinian Fatah have targeted Israeli interests – while al-Qaeda, founded in 1988 by Abdullah Azzam and financed by Osama bin Laden – launched global attacks like 9/11, fueling a US-led war on terror that included invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

However, both the United States and European nations underestimated the cultural differences of Muslim immigrants. Many arrived with little interest in integrating into Western society, instead establishing enclaves governed by Islamic religious leaders. In cities such as Malmö, Amsterdam, Berlin, Birmingham, and Brussels, where immigrants exceed 20% of the total population, crime rates have surged, overwhelming local law enforcement.

In France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, for instance, migrant-driven criminality often overlaps with nationalist and antisemitic acts. Despite Europe’s facade of open-mindedness, it has seen the resurgence of hateful imagery, similar to  WWII. Antisemitic incidents, such as attacks on Israeli soccer fans, have become disturbingly common.

Women pay tribute to Michelle Gil Jaimez, the victim of the terror attacks of November 13, 2015 in which 130 people were killed, in Paris, France November 13, 2022. (credit: Teresa Suarez/Pool via REUTERS)

During a recent border crossing into the Netherlands, I experienced hostility from an officer who delayed us unnecessarily, despite my diplomatic passport. Such incidents illustrate the growing tensions in Europe, with Israelis and Jews increasingly harassed.

The root of this violence lies in extremist interpretations of Islam propagated by ISIS, al-Qaeda, and others, legitimized by certain clerics. While the majority of Muslims reject violence, even a small percentage of radicalized believers equates to hundreds of thousands who aim to impose Sharia law on the world.

Second- and third-generation immigrants often feel disconnected from both their ancestral cultures and European society. Unemployment, discrimination, and lack of opportunity create fertile ground for frustration, which terrorist groups exploit for recruitment. Military interventions in Muslim-majority countries, perceived as Western aggression, further fuel resentment and radicalization.

Clashes between Western values and conservative Islamic norms 

Significant cultural clashes between Western values – freedom of speech, secularism, and gender equality – and conservative Islamic norms exacerbate tensions. Incidents like the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad heighten cultural divides.

Antisemitism is on the rise, not only among Muslim migrants but also among native Europeans. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association, notes daily attacks on Jews and lenient punishments for perpetrators. According to Margolin, European Jewry is in its worst state since Kristallnacht. Many Jews now hire bodyguards and hide their identities in public.

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The October 7, 2023, attacks and the ongoing war with Hamas, coupled with biased international media coverage, have accelerated anti-Israel sentiment. Violent protests erupt regularly across Europe, bolstering far-Right groups such as France’s National Front and the Netherlands’ Freedom Party. These parties advocate for stricter immigration policies, leveraging fears of terrorism and cultural shifts to gain support.

Governments in Hungary, Poland, and Italy have enacted laws restricting immigration and are building border fences and implementing rigorous asylum criteria.

Some countries have banned face coverings and imposed cultural integration requirements for citizenship. While these measures attract criticism from human rights groups, proponents argue they are necessary to preserve Europe’s social and economic stability.

Europe stands at a crossroads. Its ability to balance its commitment to democracy and human rights with the need to address terror, crime, and cultural change will determine its future. Without decisive action, the continent risks losing its historical identity.

Citizens, frustrated by law enforcement’s delayed response to violence, may eventually take matters into their own hands.

The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul general of Nauru, deputy dean of the Diplomatic Consular Corps, and president of the Israeli Radio Communications Association.