Western Europe ‘on the decline’ amid moral bankruptcy, says director-general of Israel's FM

Eden Bar Tal, Director-General of Israel's Foreign Ministry, stated on Monday that Western Europe is "on the decline" due to demographic changes leading to increased societal radicalization and "moral bankruptcy." Speaking at an event honoring American Jewish leader Dan Mariaschin in Jerusalem, Bar Tal highlighted the conspicuous radicalization following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, noting the shrinking center and rise of "more aggressive powers." He also cautioned against the "red and green alliance" of the radical left and Islamists, which he believes is converging in attacks within Western countries. Bar Tal criticized European nations for supporting "anti-Israeli forces," calling it a "shameful part of European history" and predicting further negative developments for Israel and the Jewish people. Mariaschin, in turn, decried a "tsunami of hate" and the normalization of anti-Jewish tropes, emphasizing the need for unity within the Jewish community.