The Jewish International Film Festival in Malmo, Sweden has faced cancellation following the refusal of cinemas to host the event, with organizers citing security concerns and other reasons. This decision comes amid a broader trend of Jewish cultural events encountering difficulties in Western countries since the onset of Israel’s military operation in Gaza in October 2023.
The festival, which was intended to mark 250 years of Jewish heritage in Sweden from November 29 to December 2, is now set to be cancelled. Organizers, including Sam Klebanov, have stated that no venue agreed to host the event, with some citing security issues while others claimed logistical challenges. Despite the Malmo police offering additional security, the festival’s organizers reported that no threats were received.
Swedish Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand described the situation as an ‘absolute disaster for society’ in a recent Instagram post. This trend is part of a larger pattern observed in countries such as Germany and the United States, where Jewish communities have faced increased anti-Semitism and related incidents. Earlier this month, Germany’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, reported that the country’s Jewish population has faced ‘record levels’ of anti-Semitism since 2023.
In the US, a shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, in May claimed the lives of two Israeli Embassy staff members. Last week, US President Donald Trump declared the Gaza conflict ‘over’ after brokering a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. Israel launched its military operation after a deadly Hamas incursion into its territory in October 2023 that left more than 1,200 people dead and around 250 others taken hostage. The ensuing campaign by the Israel Defense Forces has killed nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities.