Summary

The murder of two Israeli embassy employees by a far-left pro-Palestinian activist outside the Jewish Museum in Washington DC in May highlights a growing threat to Israel, its citizens and to Jewish communities abroad. Anti-Israel antisemitism has, almost inevitably, turned deadly.

This document seeks to demonstrate that antisemitism is encroaching on vast sectors of public life in the West. As such, it poses a growing strategic threat to Israel’s standing as well as to Jewish communities. If current trends continue, support for Israel will continue to weaken and antisemitism will increase—especially among young people, the age cohort with the highest rates of antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiment globally.[1]

The State of Israel should consider adopting a thorough, coordinated policy to confront and mitigate this growing threat. This document offers concrete recommendations for the government of Israel on how to approach the issue diplomatically, in its public diplomacy, in relation to Jewish communities worldwide, and within its own institutions.

Introduction

Over the past decade, antisemitic incidents have surged in the West —with reported cases increasing by 1,000% in France, over 700% in Australia, and about 360% in the United States since October 2023.[2] Between 2014 and 2024, the number of individuals worldwide holding explicitly antisemitic views has doubled.[3] Antisemitism, thought at the beginning of the 21^st century to be on the verge of extinction in the West, is now reaching levels not seen since World War II.

Israel’s centrality in contemporary antisemitic discourse poses a unique challenge. Antisemitism directed at the Jewish state is a relatively new phenomenon that requires clear frameworks to distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and collective hatred of the Jewish people. The IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism remains the primary tool in this regard.

Antisemitism poses a challenge first and foremost to the societies that allow it to flourish. While it directly impacts the Jewish people and the Jewish State which are its targets, more broadly it also undermines the integrity of Western institutions and Western society. For some, it forms part of a larger struggle against Western civilization itself.

Unlike classical antisemitism, which is rooted in religious, socioeconomic, or racial arguments and has remained largely taboo since the Holocaust, the new antisemitism, or antisemitism in the Israel context is often framed as political criticism of Israel, rather than hatred of Jews as a collective, and is harder to define and confront. This newer form of antisemitism has permeated academic and cultural institutions in the West and is gaining ground in politics, international law and the media, as described below.

Antisemitism today constitutes a strategic risk for Israel. It fosters a hostile public climate toward the Jewish state and threatens Jewish communities that support it. Over time, this may undermine Israel’s strategic alliances. As such, it warrants close attention and sustained action by the Israeli government.

Government

Unlike Europe of the early 20^th century, antisemitism is not a cornerstone of politics or government in the West today. On the contrary, Western governments continue to reaffirm their commitment to combating antisemitism.

Nevertheless, antisemitism persists within political parties and has occasionally infected several large parties in Europe. France’s far-left La France Insoumise and the Podemos party in Spain have adopted extreme anti-Israel positions accompanied by antisemitic rhetoric; under Jeremy Corbyn the UK Labour Party was similarly affected.[4] These examples point to the normalization of antisemitism within parts of the European far left.[5]

At the same time, a small but growing number of  lawmakers from various political parties across the globe have made antisemitic comments: in the United States, Representative Matt Gaetz, a short-lived nominee for the position of Attorney General, blamed Jews for the death of Jesus and invited a Holocaust denier to Congress;[6] in Poland, a far-right MP extinguished a Hanukkah menorah in parliament, claiming the country  was becoming a Jewish state; in Australia, a Green Party leader declared, “All Zionists are terrorists.”

The growing antisemitism on the political fringes, coupled with growing anti-Israel sentiment in center- and far-left parties, is fostering a newly hostile environment for Jews—particularly those who are not anti-Israel. Epitomizing this trend: only one-third of U.S. Democrats now view Israel favorably, an all-time low. [7]

It is essential to distinguish between antisemitism and legitimate political debate over Israeli policy, especially regarding the war in Gaza. To complicate matters, an unintended consequence of legitimate diplomatic action or political discourse against Israel, none of which, to be sure, is antisemitic, is that it hardens anti-Israel sentiment, which can, and sometimes does, spill over into overt antisemitism. Examples include the Biden administration’s weapons shipment freeze and President Macron’s cancellation of Israel’s participation in a defense expo.

Mainstream and Social Media

Mainstream Western media cover Israel very critically, frequently portraying it more negatively than the Palestinians —who are framed as innocent victims of Israeli aggression —even than Hamas.[8] At times, this anti-Israel bias crosses into antisemitic rhetoric, as seen in coverage by the BBC.[9] Wikipedia’s bias against Israel, has also drawn scrutiny from both the U.S. Congress and the administration,[10] with warnings that this could jeopardize the platform’s non-profit status.[11]

Social media platforms amplify extreme anti-Israel and antisemitic content with minimal oversight. The world’s largest social media platforms, some with very large young audiences, have become platforms for delegitimization of Israel, which often crosses over into explicit antisemitism.

A 2024 report authored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found that 64% of U.S. Jews felt less safe on social media than they had the previous year. One-third reported experiencing direct hostility due to their Jewish identity, and 41% said they had modified their online behavior to avoid being recognized as Jewish.[12]

Business

While calls for economic boycotts of Israel remain largely on the margins, they are gaining traction within labor unions. Some of these unions have passed harsh anti-Israel resolutions and their leaders have made antisemitic statements. Following October 7, members of New York’s ALAA union labeled Jewish colleagues supporting Israel “fascists” and “deranged.”[13] In the United Kingdom, the head of the National Education Union called to “globalize the intifada.”[14]

A more concerning trend is rising antisemitism in the U.S. workplace. Recent studies indicate a reticence to hire Jews or Israelis in some regions.[15]

The extent to which firms refrain from hiring Jews or Israelis, investing in Israel, or purchasing Israeli stocks —and whether the motivation for these actions is antisemitic —means that the economic impact of antisemitism, to the extent to which it exists, remains hard to measure.

International Lawfare

Since October 7, efforts to isolate and ostracize Israel in international legal forums have increased. South Africa’s genocide claim at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, and legal harassment of IDF veterans have stigmatized both Israel’s leadership and soldiers as war criminals under the guise of “international justice.” While not explicitly antisemitic, this legal offensive fuels global hostility not just toward Israel, but also toward Jews in general.

Academia and Education

Perhaps the greatest long-term threat to Western Jewish communities lies within academia. In leading institutions of higher learning, tomorrow’s leaders are exposed to the unchallenged assertion that the Jewish State is practicing “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide.” Middle East departments and programs researching Israel and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are funded by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Critical race theory presents a binary worldview of oppressors versus oppressed, in which both Jews and Israel are cast as oppressors. The term “Zionists” is increasingly used as a code word for “Jews.” In such an environment, antisemitism can only be expected to continue to increase.

Elite U.S. universities are admitting fewer Jewish students.[16]The number of Jewish faculty in the humanities and social sciences is declining.[17] A recent survey found 73% of Jewish students in the U.S. have experienced or witnessed antisemitism on campus.[18]

Antisemitic and anti-Israel content has already trickled down to high school curricula.[19] Qatar is reported to have funded a project which distributed anti-Israel educational material to 8,000 schools across the United States.[20]

Without meaningful change to ensure intellectual freedom and diversity of perspectives, academia’s stance toward Jews is unlikely to improve. This threatens aa vital pillar of success for Jews in the West, and, by extension, Israel’s future standing among key Western allies, foremost the United States.

Culture

Antisemitism is spreading rapidly into the cultural realm. Jewish artists in the UK report being frozen out of British cultural life for refusing to describe Israeli actions in Gaza as genocidal. London’s Tate Museum faced boycott threats over its ties to pro-Israel donors. [21] The Writers Guild in Hollywood refused to condemn the October 7 attacks.[22] More than 1,000 authors and publishers signed an October 2024 letter calling for a boycott of Israeli cultural institutions.[23] Advertisements for Bernard-Henri Lévy’s book, Israel Alone, were rejected due to fear of customer backlash.[24] Virulent anti-Israel rhetoric has appeared at concerts, with performers stoking hate toward Israel and Jews.[25]

In almost all these cases, the defense of such actions is that they are aimed at Israeli policy. In practice, those effected are Jews in the cultural sector.

Recommendations

Antisemitism has evolved in the 21^st century to focus on the Jewish state. Hostility toward Israel fuels already-present antisemitism, which in turn reinforces further hostility toward Israel and Jews, creating a vicious cycle that continues to expand.

This poses a strategic threat to Israel’s standing in the West, as well as to Jewish communities there. If current trends persist, support for Israel will continue to erode and antisemitism will increase – especially among young people, the age cohort with the highest rates of antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiment globally.[26]

The State of Israel should consider adopting a consistent, comprehensive, and coordinated policy to confront and mitigate this growing threat. The following actions are recommended in these areas.    

Public diplomacy:

• Educate and explain where anti-Israel sentiment, presented under the guise of legitimate political criticism, crosses a line—particularly when it denies Jews the right to self-determination/sovereignty in the Land of Israel. This is particularly urgent while there is still a broad consensus on Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state—a consensus that is likely to erode further over time.
  
  
• Frame antisemitism expressed through hostility toward Israel as part of broader anti-Western sentiment. This is the context in which terms such as “globalize the intifada” clearly go beyond the confines of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  
  
• Collaborate with those who recognize Israel as the national home of the Jewish people, and work to strengthen support from centrist organizations and political groups, including those critical of Israeli policy.
  
  
• Draw the attention of Western governments and opinion leaders to state-sanctioned antisemitism, including extremist Islamist views, promoted by countries such as Iran, Turkey and Qatar, as well as by Palestinian terror organizations and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Diplomacy

• While remaining mindful of the politically-charged context and careful to steer clear of it, Israel should seek to leverage the Trump administration’s actions against the drivers of antisemitism[27] to:
  
  
  • encourage action against international institutions such as the International Criminal Court and certain United Nations bodies which are biased against Israel to the point of being antisemitic
  • end the legal immunity of social media platforms that publish antisemitic content
  • urge other Western countries to follow the U.S. lead on specific issues in combatting antisemitism
  • ensure that effective steps implemented against antisemitism in the U.S. are structural and durable, so that they remain in place under future administrations, regardless of who is president.
    
    
• Making clear that while combatting antisemitism is an internal issue for each country to address, it is also a diplomatic priority for the State of Israel in its foreign relations. To that end, Israel should engage respectfully and constructively with countries experiencing a marked rise in antisemitism, such as Australia and Canada.

Work with Jewish communities

• Strengthening the relationship between Israel and world Jewry is essential in combating antisemitism – through mutual respect, shared knowledge, close collaboration, and the understand that antisemitism in its contemporary form is at once directed at both Israel and Jews worldwide, with the latter its most exposed targets.
  
  
• In its decision-making processes, Israel should consider the impact of its policies and pronouncements on world Jewry. While Israel is should not compromise its national security or core interests, it should show sensitivity and take into account the implications of its policies, striving to manage the tension between its direct security-diplomatic priorities and its greater goal of combating antisemitism and delegitimization.
  
  
• Israel should acknowledge that its current relationship with segments of world Jewry is strained and recognize that internal polarization within Israel also contributes to this strain.
  
  
• Israel can strengthen ties with Jewish communities around the world by –expanding on existing areas of collaboration— from supporting their physical security to educational programs in Israel for diaspora Jewish youth. Educational, cultural and experiential initiatives that enhance Jewish identity and the connection to Israel increase the resilience of Jewish communities abroad, which, in turn, will strengthen their ability to combat antisemitism.

At the governmental level, Israel should:

• continue to promote the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism across international institutions (since defining antisemitism is a prerequisite for combating it)
  
  
• lead an international effort to standardize methods for collecting data on antisemitism
  
  
• work with governments, international bodies, and NGOs to remove antisemitic content from social media platforms
  
  
• set a high legislative standard against hate and racism, and encourage other countries to adopt similar laws and enforcement mechanisms. In this regard, Israel should “lead by example” in confronting hate speech against minority groups within its own society.
  
  
• play a leading role in convening and leading dialogue among Jewish community representatives worldwide to address antisemitism in a politically neutral manner aimed at achieving broad consensus.

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[1]  https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/46-adults-worldwide-hold-significant-antisemitic-beliefs-adl-poll-finds

[2]  https://www.adl.org/resources/article/global-antisemitic-incidents-wake-hamas-war-israel

[3] https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/46-adults-worldwide-hold-significant-antisemitic-beliefs-adl-poll-finds

[4] https://www.thejc.com/news/world/what-does-the-rise-of-melenchon-mean-for-french-jews-w5e89k6s

[5] https://www.timesofisrael.com/europes-far-left-is-normalizing-antisemitism-report-co-authored-by-adl-warns/

[6] https://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-ag-pick-called-adl-racist-invited-holocaust-denier-to-state-of-the-union/

[7] https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/just-33-of-democrats-have-a-favorable-view-of-israel-gallup-poll-finds/

[8] https://themedialine.org/headlines/study-finds-new-york-times-coverage-skews-against-israel-in-war-reporting/

[9] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crg4yvl4nnxo

[10] https://jewishinsider.com/2025/05/wikipedia-congress-members-bipartisan-letter-anti-israel-bias/

[11] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ocNyx34Et19sKtlta0bTPPzSPcpi375T/view

[12] https://www.adl.org/resources/report/online-hate-and-harassment-american-experience-2024

[13] https://www.thefp.com/p/alaa-legal-aid-attorneys-antisemitism-congress

[14] https://www.gbnews.com/opinion/patrick-christys-school-teacher-strikes

[15] https://www.adl.org/resources/news/opinion-heres-hard-proof-employers-are-discriminating-against-jews

[16] https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/the-vanishing-ivy-league-jew

[17] https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/trading-places

[18] https://www.hillel.org/nearly-three-quarters-of-jewish-students-experienced-or-witnessed-antisemitism-on-campus-new-survey-finds/

[19] https://jweekly.com/2024/12/23/adl-plans-to-ramp-up-legal-pressure-on-k-12-schools-over-antisemitism/

[20] https://www.jewishpress.com/news/middle-east/qatar/new-report-uncovers-qatari-influence-and-anti-israel-bias-in-us-k-12-education/2025/03/13/

[21] https://archive.md/3z6Xm#selection-1549.0-1549.169

[22] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/29/business/hamas-attack-hollywood-jews.html

[23] https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/oct/28/sally-rooney-percival-everett-arundhati-roy-boycott-israel-palestine-gaza

[24] https://www.thefp.com/p/ad-israel-book-canceled-jewish-author-bernard-henri-levy-shelf-awareness-booksellers-mag

[25] https://www.wsj.com/world/uk/death-to-the-idf-chant-fuels-uproar-at-the-glastonbury-music-festival-21125587

[26] https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/46-adults-worldwide-hold-significant-antisemitic-beliefs-adl-poll-finds

[27] See for example, https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/adl-statement-new-executive-order-combat-antisemitism

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JISS Policy Papers are published through the generosity of the Greg Rosshandler Family.

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