Antisemitism Watch

Al Jazeera: 9/11 War on Terror Era Empowered Europe's Far Right, Shifting Focus from Antisemitism.
How Post-9/11 Politics Normalized Islamophobia and Bolstered European Far-Right Parties.
25 Years Post-9/11: Global Events Reshaped European Far-Right Ideology and Electoral Reach.

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

Twenty-five years after the September 11th attacks, the political landscape shaped by the ensuing 'War on Terror' continues to influence Europe. A report from Al Jazeera details how this era provided significant legitimacy and electoral force to Europe's far-right parties.

According to the report, prior to September 11th, these parties were largely marginalized within their multi-party systems. They were often noted for antisemitism and nostalgia for fascist origins, rather than being credible contenders for government. However, the article explains that even before 9/11, far-right racism had begun sharpening its focus on Islam, with parties like France's Front National and Austria's Freedom Party identifying Muslims as an "enemy within."

The September 11th attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, offered a crucial opening. The declaration of a 'Global War on Terror' by President George W. Bush, and the subsequent rhetoric and policies, contributed to a globalizing of Islamophobia. While Bush insisted the fight targeted terrorists, reporting indicates that the discourse often treated all Muslims as suspects and framed Islam itself as inherently violent.

This framing was amplified by media coverage and military campaigns across Muslim-majority countries. European governments, even while far-right parties were still largely out of power, enacted their own Islamophobic policies, such as countering violent extremism programs, and cooperated in international detention practices. These actions, according to the report, rested on the premise that Muslim religious belief itself was a dormant threat.

The Al Jazeera report argues that the 'War on Terror' thus legitimized anti-Muslim racism that had been building, providing the far-right with a powerful new narrative and broadening their appeal.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- aljazeera.com: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2026/9/12/9-11-at-25-how-the-war-on-terror-helped-mainstream-europes-far