According to the 2024 antisemitism report, presented to President Isaac Herzog on Sunday by the heads of the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency, there was a sharp increase of 340% in antisemitic incidents worldwide in 2024.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held on January 27 after a year saturated with extreme antisemitic incidents. The alarming report was presented by World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel and Jewish Agency Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, together with Dr. Racheli Bartz-Rix, head of the Department for Combating Antisemitism and Enhancing Resilience, and Yigal Palmor, director of international relations at the Jewish Agency.
The report highlights global antisemitism trends, comparing 2022 and 2024 due to the significant impact of October 7, 2023. Findings indicate that 2024 is on track to set a record for antisemitic incidents, with a 340% increase from 2022 and nearly 100% from 2023.
The report reveals a 288% surge in antisemitic incidents in the U.S., peaking in April 2024. These included the murder of Dr. Benjamin Harouni in San Jose, attacks on synagogues and violent incidents on college campuses. Jewish candidates from both political parties faced attacks, and harassment was reported at polling stations.
In Canada, the situation is even more dire, with a sharp 562% spike in antisemitic incidents, with about a quarter of which being violent.
In Europe, the trends are equally worrying. In France, there was an increase of over 350% in antisemitic incidents. A comprehensive public opinion poll showed that 64% of French people believe that Jews have reason to fear for their lives in the country. Britain has recorded a 450% hike in antisemitic incidents, with almost 2,000 incidents in the first half of 2024 alone.
The Far East is witnessing the rise of "new" antisemitism, with China seeing a surge in antisemitic content and conspiracy theories on social media, including Holocaust denial and comparisons to Hitler. The Israeli embassy in China has labeled the trend a “tsunami” of hostility. In Japan and Taiwan, anti-Israel demonstrations and Nazi gestures, previously rare in the region, have also been recorded.
Antisemitic incident during Hanukkah
In Latin America, the situation is complex and diverse. In Brazil, President Lula da Silva’s statements led to a diplomatic crisis with Israel, but also to a wave of antisemitic statements on social networks. Chile saw a 325% increase in antisemitic incidents, while Argentina saw a slight decrease in the number of reported incidents, although there are concerns about the future development of antisemitic resentment based on economic hardships.
South Africa saw a 185% increase in antisemitic incidents, with calls to boycott Israel and anti-Israel propaganda. Australia saw a sharp 387% increase in incidents, with an emphasis on combining antisemitic phenomena and demonstrations with anti-Israel propaganda. The incidents included arson of synagogues, vandalism of property and physical attacks.
In former Soviet Union countries, the year 2024 was characterized by a significant escalation of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel discourse. The attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow, in which 145 people were killed, became a fertile ground for the spread of antisemitic conspiracy theories, especially on social media.
The series of violent attacks in Dagestan in June 2024, which saw the burning of synagogues and churches and left 22 people dead, was accompanied by a widespread incitement campaign online. In Lithuania, an antisemitic party won third place in parliament and even received ministerial positions, indicating the strengthening of the far right in the region.
In the Arab and Muslim world, Iran continues to lead an extreme antisemitic line, combining denial of Israel’s right to exist with widespread anti-Jewish propaganda and support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The fight against Israel has become a central element in shaping Iranian identity and has had a significant impact on the spread of antisemitic hatred and conspiracy theories.
In contrast, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates are taking a more pragmatic approach at the government level, but public opinion does not seem to be inclined to follow the moderation displayed by their leaderships.
As a result of the global wave of antisemitism, the impact on Jewish communities around the world is profound. There has been a significant reduction in community activities, increased security measures and changes in daily life patterns, including the concealment of Jewish symbols in public spaces. Government responses have varied, from full support for the fight against antisemitism to indifference and even outright rejection of the idea.
Additionally, 2024 marks a grave turning point in the proliferation of antisemitism in the digital space, with an increase of over 300% in antisemitic content compared to the previous year. Analysis of antisemitic content patterns shows that classic antisemitic accounts for 38.5% of all reported content, Holocaust denial accounts for 21.1% and anti-Israel and anti-Zionist content accounts for 15.4%.
A growing trend highlights the use of “Zionism” and its derivatives as veiled expressions of traditional antisemitism. This shift has prompted Meta to classify anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism in specific contexts.
"The report indicates a serious increase in antisemitism around the world," President Herzog said. "Social media has become a central platform for spreading hatred and antisemitism under the guise of freedom of expression. Calls to boycott Israel, especially when combined with ancient and ugly hatred against the Jewish people, are rapidly degenerating into violent outbursts to the point of harming Jewish property, body and soul.
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"I stress this again: antisemitism never ends with Jews alone and is a threat to democracy and the entire free world. All governments of the world must act together to combat the phenomenon and educate for dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect," he added.
World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel added that the report reveals an unprecedented increase in antisemitic incidents around the world, promoting hatred that crosses borders and expands on the global stage through violence, propaganda and incitement.
He accused the Palestinian Authority of continuing to indoctrinate its youth into hatred against Jews and the State of Israel by depicting antisemitic content in textbooks and media while raising a generation that sanctifies death, terror and hatred.