Topline
Jewish groups and political leaders are sounding the alarm about a rise in verbal, physical and online attacks against the Jewish community in multiple countries as they warn the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza is fueling anti-Semitism.
An officer of the guard police stands in front of the synagogue in Frankfurt’s West End at noon.
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Key Facts
The Anti-Defamation League, a non-profit tracking anti-Semitism, has recorded a litany of both verbal and physical attacks against Jews in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, North Africa and North America since the fighting between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers escalated earlier this month.
Within the U.S., the ADL said it has received nearly 200 reports of possible anti-Semitic incidents, up from 131 the week before the conflict began—highlighting an attack on diners in Los Angeles that is being investigated by police as a hate crime and “expressions of clear antisemitism” at some pro-Palestine rallies.
The trend appears to be particularly pronounced in Europe, where the ADL has highlighted dozens of incidents since May 10, including the vandalism of synagogues in Germany, Spain and the U.K.
In the U.K., a slew of attacks like the assault of a rabbi in North London and a convoy of cars driving through the city with passengers yelling “F*** the Jews, rape their daughters” prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to pledge support for the Jewish community amid what he described as an “unprecedented” rise in anti-Semitism.
Community Security Trust, a charity that records anti-Semitic threats in Britain, told Forbes it has received nearly 140 reports of Jews being threatened since the escalation of conflict between Israel and Gaza, a roughly 400% increase, with “almost of all of them” involving “language, imagery or behavior” related to the fighting.
Meanwhile, Germany’s leading Jewish organization, the Central Council of Jews in Germany, has also flagged an alarming rise in hate speech and attacks against Jews both online and at rallies in multiple German cities, including a at protest in front of a synagogue in Gelsenkirchen at which some protesters were recorded chanting, “Sh-tty Jews.”
What To Watch For
Anti-Semitism is also festering online. Jewish advocacy groups have reported an uptick in online hate speech against Jews, who are already often heavily targeted on social media. An ADL analysis of Twitter in the days following the onset of the Israel-Gaza conflict found more than 17,000 tweets with variations of the phrase, “Hitler was right.”
Chief Critic
“We are witnessing a dangerous and drastic surge in anti-Jewish hate,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a Thursday statement, noting his organization has seen acts of harassment, vandalism and violence “across the world” and “on every social media platform.”
Key Background
The ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas—which represents the worst violence in the region since 2014—has once again propelled to the fore the politically divisive debate over Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Thousands have taken to the streets in cities across the world, including throughout the U.S., to show their support for Palestinian statehood. Palestinians have also borne the brunt of the recent conflict, with the death toll in Gaza standing at 227, including at least 64 children, verus 12 dead in Israel. While protests have remained largely peaceful, Jewish advocacy groups continue to warn Jews worldwide are vulnerable to being scapegoated for the actions of the Israeli government. Pro-Palestinian activists and organizers, meanwhile, maintain that their solidarity with Palestinians does not amount to anti-Semitism. After a man was capture on video blasting anti-Semitic language through a megaphone at a weekend pro-Palestine march in Britain, the demonstration’s organizers released a video strongly condemning anti-Semitism, saying: “There is no place in the Palestinian freedom movement for any type of hate crimes.”
