Statement
Most of the time, a blood libel set off mob violence against the accused community. Sometimes the authorities stepped in to defend the Jews; at other times they appeared to credit the libel. Given the strict ban on consuming even the blood of kosher animals, anyone acquainted with Jewish law and custom could see that the libel had to be an invention. Several kings, emperors and popes declared the charges false, to no avail: the libel endured, was exploited by the Nazis and still turns up in antisemitic and anti-Zionist propaganda in the Middle East.
Documented evidenceHigh certainty✓ Verified
References
p. 200
supports · boxed feature · ch. 7
Efron, Lehmann and Weitzman. The Jews: A History. 3rd edition. New York and Abingdon: Routledge, 2019.
Section: The Blood Libel and Other Lethal Accusations
Verification anchor recorded · checked against the page text
p. 200
supports · boxed feature · ch. 7
Efron, Lehmann and Weitzman. The Jews: A History. 3rd edition. New York and Abingdon: Routledge, 2019.
Section: The Blood Libel and Other Lethal Accusations
Verification anchor recorded · checked against the page text