Antisemitism has declined from post-October 7 peak, but remains alarmingly high – TAU
Report on global Jew-hatred finds that incidents increased in most places in 2024, calls for stronger law enforcement to stem the tide
Zev Stub is the Times of Israel's Diaspora Affairs correspondent.
Antisemitic incidents worldwide declined in 2024 compared to the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, but remain significantly higher than those recorded prior to the assault, according to Tel Aviv University’s annual Antisemitism Worldwide.
Published on Wednesday, the eve of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, by the university’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry and the Irwin Cotler Institute for Democracy, Human Rights and Justice, the report found that while anti-Jewish hatred peaked shortly after the Hamas onslaught, it remains deeply embedded across continents a year and a half into the ensuing war.
“Contrary to popular belief, the report’s findings indicate that the wave of antisemitism did not steadily intensify due to the war in Gaza and the humanitarian disaster there,” said the report’s chief editor, Prof. Uriya Shavit. “The peak was in October-December 2023, and a year later, a sharp decline in the number of incidents was noted almost everywhere. The sad truth is that antisemitism reared its head at the moment when the Jewish state appeared weaker than ever and under existential threat.”
In an analysis of antisemitism across different countries, researchers were particularly alarmed by findings in Australia, where 1,713 antisemitic incidents were recorded in 2024, compared to 1,200 the previous year and nearly triple the figure from 2022. While the final three months of 2024 saw fewer incidents than October through December of 2023 (478 versus 827), the numbers remain high for a country previously known for its spirit of tolerance and respect for minorities, the report said.
Among other countries, the United States showed a moderate rise in antisemitic activity, as New York City police registered 344 antisemitic complaints in 2024 compared to 325 in 2023 and 264 in 2022. Similar upticks were seen in Chicago, Denver, and Austin, the report said.
The report’s findings echoed the results of a study published Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League, which found that antisemitic incidents in the US rose five percent in 2024 to 9,354 recorded cases of harassment, vandalism, and assault, breaking annual records for the fourth consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Canada saw a record-breaking 6,219 incidents in 2024, up from 5,791 the previous year.
In Europe, Italy witnessed a dramatic increase, with 877 recorded incidents in 2024 compared to 454 incidents in 2023. France recorded 1,570 incidents, down from 1,676 in 2023 — but still far above 2022’s 436. Physical assaults in France, however, rose sharply — from 85 to 106. The UK logged 3,528 incidents in 2024, down from 4,103, and Germany reported 5,177, compared to 5,671 in 2023.
Switzerland and Spain also both experienced increased antisemitic activity in 2024, as did Argentina and Brazil in South America.
Law enforcement failures
A separate study published in the report examined the work of law enforcement authorities in New York, Chicago, Toronto, and London between 2021 and 2023 and found that only a negligible percentage of complaints about antisemitic hate crimes – in some cases less than 10% – led to arrests. These findings leave much room for improvement, the report said.
“Much more can be done if the will exists,” said Carl Yonker, a senior researcher who worked on the report. “Education and legislation without enforcement are meaningless. The fight against antisemitism requires dedicated efforts from police forces and prosecutors, not pompous statements and grotesque award ceremonies with Hollywood stars.”
Another section of the report compiled testimonies from Jews in the US, UK, Canada, and South Africa who have suffered antisemitic harassment and violence. Incidents include arson, swastika graffiti, and physical and verbal assaults.
“We wanted to show the heavy emotional toll of incidents mistakenly classified as ‘minor,’” said project editor Noah Abrahams, arguing that law enforcement authorities must prosecute even symbolic attacks, like throwing eggs, that erode victims’ sense of safety and dignity.
Ultimately, the report said, the fight against antisemitism requires determined policing and prosecution and a refusal to allow hateful rhetoric to become normalized.
“Antisemitism is not just a problem of the past or a fringe issue,” Shavit, the report’s editor, said. “It is a mirror to our societies. And in 2024, that reflection is still deeply troubling.”
The Times of Israel Community.