Since the start of the war against Hamas in Gaza, Israel has welcomed a total of 12,745 immigrants, according to the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. This influx, marking the half-year point of the war, includes a notable proportion from Russia (around 8,300), the United States (about 900), France and Ukraine (about 400 each). In addition, a considerable number of immigrants have journeyed from diverse global locations such as Belarus, Cyprus, Argentina, South Africa, Colombia and Australia, among others.
Data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration highlights a consistent monthly increase in immigration since October 7, 2023, coinciding with the continuation of the war. Only 781 immigrants arrived in October 2023, but this figure nearly doubled to 1,466 in November 2023 and reached 2,145 in December 2023. The first quarter of 2024 saw the arrival of a record 3,074 immigrants in March alone. These immigrants represent a broad age spectrum, with around 850 retirees and approximately 1,500 elementary and high school students among them.
The professional diversity among the new arrivals is significant. Roughly 800 are technology engineers, while a similar number are economists or accountants. The high-tech sector accounts for nearly 500 immigrants, and about 270 doctors have chosen to relocate to Israel. Over the past six months, the country has also welcomed a variety of professionals, including eight aeronautical and space engineers, eight choreographers and directors, five school principals, five film editors, five tailors and seamstresses, two aircraft officers, and two midwives.
The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration is anticipating a surge in immigration applications from western countries. There has already been a dramatic 244% increase in immigration applications from France during the war compared to the previous year. Similarly, application rates among Canadian Jews have risen by 98%, and among American Jews by 84%. British Jews have also shown increased interest, with a 33% rise in immigration files opened.
Global antisemitism rears its ugly head
There has been a marked uptick in the interest of Jews in Western countries looking to immigrate to Israel, a trend that appears to be linked to a significant rise in antisemitism. The Antisemitism Research Center (ARC), associated with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), has noted that, in just the past month, 532 instances of antisemitism were reported globally. This average of 17.1 daily incidents represents a stark 315% increase compared to the same period last year.
Most of the incidents in March, amounting to 454 or 85.5%, involved defamatory remarks. A significant 417 incidents, or 78.5%, were tied to antisemitic actions associated with Israel. This surge corresponds to the global anti-Zionist sentiment and the adverse impact on Jewish communities worldwide following the Hamas massacre on October 7. A notable 16.9% of the incidents took place on university campuses, and there were 45 instances of vandalism against Jewish institutions and private properties. Alarming still, 45 additional incidents involved the application or threat of violence.
The severity of antisemitic acts seemed to increase in March, and not just the number of incidents. For example, a Swiss Jewish citizen was stabbed by an immigrant who invoked Islamic ideology during the attack. In Paris, a Jewish French citizen was assaulted upon exiting a synagogue. In Uruguay, a swastika was drawn on the National Teachers' Union's flagpole. In New York, the phrase "Free Palestine" was graffitied on a yeshiva building. At the Paris Institute of Political Studies, a Jewish student was barred from entering a classroom, with shouts of "Don't let her in, she's a Zionist" accompanying her exclusion. In Saudi Arabia, a Jewish member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom was repeatedly instructed by the Saudis to remove his kippah.
"The new antisemitism defining recent months globally, primarily manifested through hatred of Israel and opposition to Zionism, has been intensified by the war in Gaza. This is a veritable seismic shock," Sacha Roytman, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), said in a statement. "Amid the events in the country, Jews in the Diaspora are experiencing an unprecedented, acute assault in terms of both scale and intensity, as pro-Palestinian elements ally with the radical left to delegitimize both Israel and Jews collectively."