Foreign Ministry says it dealt with record number of antisemitic incidents abroad over past year

Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.

Antisemitic vandalism seen at the King David Burger restaurant in Athens, Greece, on July 12, 2025. (Screenshot/Social media)
Antisemitic vandalism seen at the King David Burger restaurant in Athens, Greece, on July 12, 2025. (Screenshot/Social media)

Over the past year, Foreign Ministry consular services received 45 reports about Israelis who were harmed in antisemitic incidents abroad and required assistance, a new record compared to previous years, according to information provided by the ministry.

“Over the past year, we have witnessed a phenomenon on a scale we had not encountered before,” says Eliyahu Yifrach, deputy director of the ministry’s Consular Division.

Incidents tallied from July 2025 to July 2026 included physical assaults, altercations, spitting, verbal abuse, refusal of service, and expulsion from hotels, cafes, and restaurants, the ministry says.

Global antisemitism against Jews and Israelis has been on the rise since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.

The year 2024 saw a 340 percent increase in total antisemitic incidents worldwide compared to 2022, according to a 2025 report published by the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.