The EU’s anti-Semitism tsar [sic!] warned European ambassadors that holding bake sales for Gaza in Brussels could stoke Jew hatred.

Katharina von Schnurbein made the claim while the EU mulled possible trade sanctions against Israel for human rights abuses during the war.

According to a leaked diplomatic cable, she told gathered EU envoys in Tel Aviv [that] there were new forms of anti-Semitism, “which she described as ambient anti-Semitism”.

This was “creating an atmosphere in which Jews feel uncomfortable, even in [the] European institutions”, the German baroness said.

The 52-year-old bureaucrat noted “for instance the ‘bake sales for Gaza’”, held in May in Brussels by European Commission staff, which raised money for the Red Cross Crescent in Gaza.

Ms. von Schnurbein, who has been the European Commission’s co-ordinator to combat anti-Semitism since 2015, argued against imposing sanctions on Israel after the EU undertook a review of its association agreement with the country.

She “warned against the risk that [the] review of the [EU-Israel] association agreement is based on ‘rumours about Jews’, as opposed to facts”.

‘Conspiracy theories’

Ms. von Schnurbein claimed that the United Nations and the media were ignoring news about Israel providing food in Gaza. She went on to mention “conspiracy theories” spread on social media, the cable, dated June 6.

The theories described “how Jews or the Mossad succeeded” in putting Yuval Raphael, the Israeli contestant for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, in second place when she won the public vote. Austria won because of its success in the jury vote, where Israel came 14th.

Broadcasters in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Iceland and Finland raised concerns about the phone and online voting system after the contest.

The cable was sent from the EU embassy in Israel to Brussels and was first obtained by the EU Observer. The website went on to report that Ms. von Schnurbein had angered some ambassadors.

One diplomat told her that Israel “dismisses every accusation on attacks on hospitals as ‘blood libels’ … [but] these are facts and to bring them up is not anti-Semitic”.

Amos Goldberg, a history professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told the website: “She’s hostile to any sign of solidarity with the Palestinians, calling it ‘ambient anti-Semitism’ — a clearly totalitarian term.”

Ms. von Schnurbein refused the EU Observer’s request for comment.

The EU-Israel association agreement gives trade advantages to Israeli companies worth at least €1 billion (£867 million) a year.

The 25-year-old deal was put under review on May 20 and later found “indications” Israel had broken human rights obligations outlined in the agreement.

EU countries such as Spain and Ireland, which formally recognised Palestine last year, have demanded the EU suspend the agreement.

However that is opposed by other member states, including Germany, meaning the review is likely to be shelved.

EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the review in a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.