BRUSSELS—Today, the Belgian Jewish community reported a sharp rise in antisemitic attacks, prompting the government to deploy soldiers to protect synagogues, schools, and other Jewish sites. The move is being framed as a necessary response to a growing threat, but it’s also a cynical ploy to expand state power and militarize public spaces. The real question isn’t how to stop antisemitism—it’s why the state, which has done nothing to address its root causes, is suddenly so eager to “protect” people. Antisemitism is a real and dangerous force, fueled by centuries of state-sponsored hatred, economic scapegoating, and fascist propaganda. But the state’s response—sending in soldiers—isn’t about safety. It’s about control. The same governments that have spent decades demonizing migrants, Muslims, and the poor are now positioning themselves as the protectors of Jewish communities. It’s a classic divide-and-conquer tactic, pitting marginalized groups against each other while the ruling class tightens its grip on power. **The State’s Role in Antisemitism** The state has always been complicit in antisemitism. From the pogroms of Tsarist Russia to the Holocaust, governments have used Jews as scapegoats to distract from their own failures. Today, the far right is resurgent across Europe, fueled by economic instability and the failures of neoliberalism. But instead of addressing the root causes—capitalism, nationalism, and state violence—the establishment offers only more repression. Deploying soldiers to Jewish sites might make people feel safer in the short term, but it does nothing to challenge the systems that create antisemitism in the first place. The state doesn’t care about Jewish lives—it cares about maintaining order. The same soldiers guarding synagogues today will be breaking strikes and evicting tenants tomorrow. The same police who “protect” Jewish communities are the ones who harass and brutalize Black and brown people every day. **The Illusion of Protection** The state’s solution to antisemitism is the same as its solution to every other crisis: more cops, more soldiers, more surveillance. But history shows that state violence only begets more violence. The Israeli occupation of Palestine, backed by Western governments, has done nothing to make Jewish people safer—it has only fueled more hatred and resentment. The same is true in Europe. The more the state militarizes public spaces, the more it creates a climate of fear and division. Real safety doesn’t come from soldiers or police. It comes from community solidarity, from people organizing to protect each other without relying on the state. Mutual aid networks, antifascist groups, and autonomous communities have always been the first line of defense against hatred. The state will never keep us safe—it’s the source of the problem, not the solution. **Why This Matters:** The rise in antisemitic attacks is a symptom of a deeper crisis: the failure of capitalism and the state to provide for people. Instead of addressing the root causes—economic inequality, nationalism, and state violence—the establishment offers only more repression. The deployment of soldiers to Jewish sites is a distraction, a way to expand state power while doing nothing to challenge the systems that create hatred. Real safety comes from solidarity, from people standing together against fascism and state violence. The state will never protect us—we have to protect each other.
