RESOLUTION - Safeguarding freedoms and countering antisemitism from Islamism

Preamble:

Over the past 20 years, Islamist terrorism has claimed more than 500 lives in Europe. The events of October 7th have further deepened this sense of insecurity and heightened the threat of attacks against Jewish communities. In this climate, Islamist organisations have embedded themselves within segments of European society, often under the guise of cultural, religious, or humanitarian engagement, with the underlying aim of eroding democratic values and institutions. Their methods range from spreading extremist propaganda and fostering parallel societies to infiltrating community networks, influencing political discourse, and exploiting freedoms of speech and association to undermine those very freedoms. By targeting populations, including Muslims, manipulating social grievances, and sowing distrust between communities, these groups work to weaken the social cohesion on which democracy depends. The long-term objective is not only to radicalise individuals but to create systemic fractures that destabilise democratic governance from within.

EUJS notes that:

1. For decades, Islamist groups and movements, particularly those linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, have expanded their presence in Europe by promoting anti-democratic, antisemitic and anti-Western narratives. These organisations often operate under the legal protections of freedom of expression and religion afforded by democratic systems, using them to shield their extremist agendas.
2. Since 2012, Islamism has manifested itself through a wave of terrorist attacks across Europe, deliberately targeting civilians and, in numerous cases, Jewish sites including supermarkets, synagogues, museums and community events.
3. At national, European and global levels, certain individuals, organisations, NGOs, networks and charities have been, or remain, infiltrated or influenced by Islamism, including by individuals connected directly or indirectly to this ideology, such as those linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. While such actors may not always openly express antisemitic rhetoric, their affiliation with, or intellectual alignment to, this ideology warrants unequivocal condemnation.

EUJS believes that:

1. Islamism is a totalitarian ideology, deeply linked to antisemitism, that employs religious symbols for political ends. Its aim is not mere politics but religionized politics. Islamism cultivates strong anti-Western feelings as well as the use of violent methods of actions.
2. Islamism undermines the principles and institutions at the heart of democratic societies.
3. Islam and Islamism are not interchangeable terms. The fight against Islamism must never be used as a pretext for racism or anti-Muslim hatred.

EUJS resolves to:

1. Counter any conflation of Islam with Islamism, and reaffirm the importance of combating anti-Muslim hatred while resolutely countering radical political Islam. 
2. Oppose Islamism in all its forms by refraining from partnering or engaging with any individual, organisation, NGO, network or charity that maintains direct, indirect, formal or intellectual connections to Islamism.
3. Hold accountable those actors and organisations, in political or intellectual spheres, that consciously engage with or are morally complicit in the activities of Islamists or Islamist-affiliated entities. This includes Members of the European Parliament, EU officials, heads of NGOs, and other relevant figures, regardless of their position on the political spectrum.
4. Advocate for the recognition of Islamism as a threat to the Jewish community, and for its consideration in all policy work on countering antisemitism at the European level.

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