WZO survey results: Antisemitic attacks increased by whopping 500% globally over last year

A new survey released by the World Zionist Organization Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry and the Jewish Agency found that antisemitic incidents have increased by 500% globally when compared to the previous year.

Online antisemitism alone has increased by 400% since Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, the WZO report revealed.

Overall, 87% of the Jewish respondents polled said that they had “feelings of diminished safety, accompanied by prevailing emotions of anger, anxiety and shock.”

In addition, campuses across the West, particularly in the United States, Australia and South Africa, have seen a dramatic increase in antisemitic incidents, with 56% of Jewish students worldwide saying that they feel afraid, while 25% of students said they have experienced hate-driven activities and violence on their campuses since Oct. 7. In addition, about 58% of Jewish students on campuses reported that they had not received any support from their educational institutions.

Antisemitism is at the highest that it has been in a decade, according to Raheli Baratz-Rix, Head of the Department for Combating Antisemitism and Enhancing Resilience at the WZO.

“The current levels of antisemitism are unparalleled in the past decade. The war is undeniably the chief catalyst. This should be a wake-up call for both the state and its citizens,” she warned.

Avi Cohen-Scali, CEO of the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, said that addressing the issue requires a unified approach.

“We're witnessing alarming waves of antisemitism in numerous countries. Addressing this necessitates a unified approach, bringing together government efforts and Jewish communities," Cohen-Scali said.

"It's an essential step towards effectively countering antisemitism and, more importantly, safeguarding Jewish lives. We are currently strategizing on actionable measures to address this pressing situation.”

The husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff has been handling issues antisemitism on behalf of the Biden administration.

Emhoff held a meeting with executives of major American Jewish community organizations at the Department of Education about the rise in antisemitism, including with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and U.S. Antisemitism Envoy Deborah Lipstadt.

The Biden officials confirmed that they “heard from Jewish leaders about the extremely disturbing pattern of antisemitic threats of violence in schools and college campuses” since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, the White House reported.

Emhoff and Cardona “unequivocally denounced antisemitism and all other forms of hate. They also reaffirmed the Administration’s support for Israel and the right for Israel to defend itself against terrorism,” the White House added.

In early October, when asked about the rise of antisemitism, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded that the White House had not seen “any credible threats” of antisemitism and, instead, spoke about the “disproportionate” amount of hate crimes against Muslims.

In addition to a global rise in antisemitism, the terror organization ISIS has called on its followers to attack Jewish targets around the world.

According to Newsweek, “issue 413 of Al-Naba, a weekly magazine by ISIS contains an infographic titled, ‘Practical ways to support Muslims in Palestine,’ which encourages attacks on Jewish people and Israel, with the goal of ‘returning its land to the House of Islam again.’”

Newsweek found that the suggestions of ISIS to its followers included, “targeting Jewish neighborhoods in America, Europe and the rest of the world,” and “attacking the Jewish and Crusader embassies with burning and vandalism,” in addition to “targeting Jewish temples (synagogues) spread everywhere” as well as attacking “Jewish economic interests spread throughout the world.”