The 10 most anti-Semitic countries

The results are in: Of the 101 countries plus the West Bank and Gaza included in the Anti-Defamation League global survey released on Tuesday, anti-Jewish sentiment was found to be most prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa, with a staggering 74% of respondents harboring anti-Semitic views. All 10 of the world’s most anti-Semitic territories, indeed, are in the Middle East and North Africa.

Below are the top 10 most and least anti-Semitic countries, culled from the survey, which based its findings on surveying 53,100 people from 100 countries worldwide.

1. West Bank and Gaza: The Palestinian territories were found to be the most staggeringly anti-Semitic in the world with a 93% overall index score. Among specific age groups, 92% of those between the ages of 18-49 were shown to have anti-Jewish views, and the figure jumped to 98% among those 50 and older.

2. Iraq: Trailing closely behind, Iraq reached an index score of 92%. While 10 of the questions on the 11-question survey measuring negative stereotypes were answered affirmatively by over 70% of respondents, only a third (33%) believed “Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust.”

3. Yemen: With an index score of 88%, anti-Semitism was shown to be at its lowest — although still remarkably strong — among participants over the age of 50 (79%), as compared to those between the ages of 35-49 (92%), and those between 18-34 (89%). The statement with the largest consensus was “People hate Jews because of the way Jews behave,” with a 90% approval rate. Like Iraq, the statement least supported on the survey was the one about Jews talking about the Holocaust, with 16% of those interviewed agreeing with it.

4. Algeria: At 87%, Algeria tied for fourth place with Libya. Algeria showed a larger gender gap in opinion than the previous countries listed, with 92% of males, and 82% of females harboring anti-Jewish beliefs.

4. Libya: With an 87% index score, the two negative views of the Jews most espoused were the attribution of anti-Semitism to Jewish behavior, and that Jews pledged greater loyalty to Israel than their home countries, at 86% respectively. In 2011, Libyan Jew David Gerbi returned from exile in Italy and was met with protests when he tried to restore a synagogue in Tripoli.

6. Tunisia: At 86%, the Tunisians were more concerned with Jewish international “control,” than previous countries. 85% believed “Jews have too much control over global affairs,” and “Jews have too much power in the business world,” respectively, while 83% said that “Jews have too much power in international financial markets.” Earlier in May, a synagogue in Sfax was ransacked for a third time.

7. Kuwait: With a general score of 82%, the Kuwait results saw the gender gap enlarged even further, with 77% of females as compared to 85% of males endorsing the negative ethnic stereotypes.

8. Bahrain: The general score in Bahrain was 81%, however, the younger respondents until the age of 34 showed significantly lower levels of racism (77%) than their older peers (86%). Despite the anti-Semitism, the country’s ambassador to the US from 2008 to 2013 was Houda Nonoo, a member of the country’s tiny Jewish community.

8. Jordan: The negative stereotype most highly rated in Jordan, with a general score of 81%, was “People hate Jews because of the way Jews behave” at 84%. Despite signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, many in the country still oppose normalization with the Jewish state.

10. Morocco/Qatar/UAE: With an overall score of 80%, Morocco, Qatar, and UAE took tenth place. The older Moroccans were shown to be less racist than their younger counterparts (75% of those over 50, 79% of 35-49-year-olds, 84% of 18-34-year olds). Qatar, UAE tied in their scores on the following statements: “People hate Jews because of the way Jews behave” (82%); “Jews have too much control over the global media” (70%); Jews have too much control over global affairs (73%) and “Jews have too much power in international financial markets” (71%).

The countries with the lowest rates of anti-Semitism

 

1. Laos: Boasting the lowest rates of anti-Jewish sentiment on the planet, Laos received an index score of 0.2%. The survey claim most supported at 4% was “Jews are more loyal to Israel than to [this country/to the countries they live in]”

2. Philippines: At 3%, like Laos, the question of Jewish nationalistic loyalty was most agreed with, with 10% of respondents voicing support for this assertion. Following closely behind, the statement that Jews have too much power in the business world garnered support among 9% of the population interviewed.

3. Sweden: At 4%, Sweden is the least anti-Semitic country in Europe. However, Jewish loyalty to the State of Israel over its home country garnered the support of over a quarter of participants in the survey (27%).

4. Netherlands: With a 5% index score, the Netherlands is nonetheless concerned, like those before it, with Jewish loyalty. One third of those asked agreed Jews are more loyal to Israel than the Netherlands. Furthermore, 20% believed the Jews talk too much about the Holocaust.

5. Vietnam: 6% of the country’s citizens were deemed anti-Semitic in the survey. Overall, men were twice as likely to agree with the anti-Jewish claims than women (8% vs. 4%)

6. United Kingdom: At 8 percent, the UK beat the US ever-so-slightly. Like the European countries before it on this list, over a quarter of the UK respondents believed Jews to be more patriotic toward Israel than the UK (27%). Nearly a fifth of those surveyed said “Jews have too much control over the United States government” (19%).

7. United States: At 9 percent, nearly 1/4 of those surveyed in the US said the Jews talk too much about the Holocaust (22%). While in the US, 31% said Jewish were more loyal to Israel than the US, only 11% thought the Jews have undue influence on the American government.

7. Denmark: Neck and neck with the US at 9 percent, some 39% of Danes believe the Jewish commitment to Israel precedes that of its patriotism to its own state.

9. Tanzania: The only African country to reach the top ten, Tanzania scored a total of 12 percent. Thirty-two percent of those asked agreed that Jews have too much control in the international media, “don’t care what happens to anyone but their own kind,” and are more loyal to Israel, respectively.

10. Thailand: Israeli tourists can rest easy, as one of their most frequented tourist attractions lands the title of one of the least Jew-unfriendly countries. A mural at a university depicting Hitler alongside superheroes in 2013 drew wide criticism, but was blamed on ignorant students.

Click here for more information on the survey.