The European Union establishment has reacted angrily over the publication of an “Islamophobic” editorial in legacy “Eurobubble” news outlet Euractiv.
The piece penned by editor-in-chief Matthew Karnitschnig and published on January 27 commemorated the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945.
He blasted what he said was rampant anti-Semitism in Muslim migrant communities, describing “hatred of Jews” as being “as much a staple of daily life as baklava”.
Brussels’ Liberal establishment reacted with outrage, with NGO workers, political party attaches and other legacy media journalists heavily criticising Karnitschnig.
Time to cancel @Euractiv subscription? Matthew Kartnitschnig’s appointment as editor in chief raised eyebrows in the Brussels bubble. Now we know why- taking advantage of the Holocaust memorial to promote Islamophobia is shameful. pic.twitter.com/rLix05v0TU
— ciara.bottomley.bsky.social (@ciaranibottom) January 28, 2025
Hussein Baoumi, who serves in the EU office for NGO Amnesty International, described the editorial as “ignorant and Islamophobic”, adding that baklava, a layered pastry dessert, was not eaten regularly by Muslim migrant communities.
EU Observer publisher Alejandro Tauber meanwhile blasted the editorial as “blatant bigotry”, adding that Karnitschnig as editor was “moving along with the rightward tide”.
Rumours have been swirling that an anonymous email claiming to be from more than 30 journalists at Euractiv has been sent to the publication’s management, urging them to take down the article.
According to US news outlet Politico, the message was sent via privacy-focused email provider ProtonMail, although it did not name any of the journalists upset at the editorial.
Karnitschnig has claimed the letter originated from “outside the company”.
He has also rebuffed attacks on the substance of his editorial, claiming that while people were allowed to criticise him for his political views, anti-Semitism in Muslim migrant communities was a well-documented phenomenon.
“In [the editorial], I noted that anti-Semitism is rampant in Muslim communities (though hardly limited to them). This reality was well documented by researchers even before Oct. 7, including by the University of Leipzig, which found that more than 40 per cent of Muslims in Germany harboured anti-Semitic views,” he wrote on X.
“Most of the reaction to the piece was positive, but some (mostly anonymous) readers took issue with my characterisation of anti-Semitism in Muslim communities.
“That’s their good right, just as it’s mine to state the obvious. We’re not going to be cowed here,” he added.
French Minister of Interior Bruno Retailleau has targeted what he referred to as “political Islam”, calling for a ban of the Islamic veil in French higher-education. https://t.co/yFXGEhiuBh
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) January 8, 2025
