European leaders marked three years since the Oct. 7 massacre on Wednesday with tributes to those murdered by Hamas terrorists, renewed warnings over rising antisemitism and declarations of solidarity with Jewish communities across the continent.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain remembered those “senselessly killed by Hamas terrorists,” noting that the impact of the attacks continued to be felt by Jewish communities worldwide and pointing to what he called a disturbing rise in antisemitic behavior in Britain. Referring to subsequent attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions, he told the country’s Jewish community: “We stand with you. Abuse and violence against you, in any form, will not be tolerated.”
Burnham said Britain was funding security for synagogues, schools and community buildings and would act forcefully against antisemitism in schools, universities and neighborhoods. He also reiterated Britain’s support for a two-state solution and said the government remained committed to protecting British Jews from hatred.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote that “the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, marks a profound turning point.” Germany, he said, mourned with the victims and their families and must fight antisemitism with even greater determination. “Jews must be able to live here without fear,” he added. Merz also reaffirmed Germany’s support for Israel, saying the country’s Israeli friends could count on Berlin to work to ensure such a crime was never repeated.
French minister visits Israel as Paris honors Bibas family
French President Emmanuel Macron also commemorated the massacre, writing: “Three years since Hamas’s barbaric terrorist attacks claimed the lives of over 1,200 people, including 51 of our compatriots.” He said France continued to share the grief of Israel and the bereaved families and had forgotten neither the names nor the faces of the victims. Macron reaffirmed France’s commitment to fighting antisemitism and terrorism while working for peace and security for all.
French President Emmanuel Macron
(Photo: Tom Nicholson/Getty Images)
The image shared by the French foreign minister, listing the names of French citizens murdered on Oct. 7
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was in Israel for the anniversary and visited Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. “I am in Israel today to pay tribute to the victims of Oct. 7,” he wrote, describing the Hamas attack as the “worst antisemitic massacre since the Shoah.” Barrot noted that 51 French nationals were killed and published their names alongside his message.
Marine Le Pen also commemorated the victims, saying the world had frozen in horror at the images of Hamas’ massacres and that men, women and children had been murdered solely because they were Jewish. She compared the scenes to pogroms once thought confined to humanity’s tragic past and condemned those who supported, excused or sought to relativize the atrocities.
Paris, meanwhile, inaugurated a path in Parc Monceau in memory of Shiri Bibas and her sons Ariel and Kfir. The French Embassy in Israel described the family as a mother and two redheaded boys whose story shook the world, saying their faces had come to symbolize shattered innocence and that placing their names in the public space would ensure their story continued to be remembered.
Dutch anniversary message sparks political clash
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s anniversary message remembered the nearly 1,200 people killed in the Hamas attack and the more than 250 taken hostage, while also referring to the Palestinians killed during the subsequent war in Gaza. He said Israeli and Palestinian bereaved families continued to live with fear and insecurity and expressed hope for peace.
Rob Jetten, Geert Wilders
(Photo: REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw)
Geert Wilders, the right-wing Dutch leader known for his strong support for Israel, responded by accusing Jetten of betraying Israel and the Jewish people through measures including boycotts, condemnations, support for the International Criminal Court and sanctions. He also accused the government of leaving the Netherlands vulnerable to the type of violence Israel experienced on Oct. 7. The wording of both Dutch statements is rendered here in indirect speech because the original posts could not be independently accessed in full.
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša wrote that Palestinian terrorists had unleashed “unspeakable barbarism” on Israel three years earlier, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. He said Slovenia remembered the victims and stood with their families, Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, while urging continued opposition to attempts to justify or minimize the massacre. “‘Never Again’ is not merely a promise. It is a duty,” he wrote.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who has frequently criticized Israeli policy, also marked the anniversary. “The Oct. 7 attacks were a barbaric act of terror,” she wrote, saying Europe must firmly reject antisemitism and that Jewish communities must be able to live openly and without fear. Kallas said Hamas had brought immense suffering to Israelis and insisted that Hamas must disarm for the Gaza peace plan to move forward.