The Rise in Antisemitism Is Not Israel’s Fault |
After the Oct 7 massacre and Gaza war, antisemitism has skyrocketed throughout the West. Antisemitism increased by 316.5% during 2024 in Australia, according to one report. The same year, the Observatory of Antisemitism found a 321% rise in anti-Jewish incidents in Spain. Antisemitic incidents in the West range from bomb threats at Synagogues to the targeted massacre of Jews at Bondi Beach.
Historically, Jews have been hated for their religion and race. While these forms of Jew hatred are still at play, a third form has emerged as a driving factor behind many Palestine protests – hating the Jews for having a state. Antisemites often defend their antisemitism under the guise of criticising Israel and Zionism. This is evident in the many charges levied against Israel, like genocide and apartheid, which are often used to cast Jews as an evil people causing trouble.
However, “criticism of Israel” is often an excuse to mask hatred of Jews. This is obvious when one examines how many pro-Palestine advocates acted in the immediate aftermath of Oct 7.
In Sydney, on Oct 8, 2023, just after the initial massacre by Hamas, many Muslims openly celebratedthe attack, with Sheikh Ibrahim Dadoun exclaiming “I’m smiling and I’m happy.” Just after Oct 7, the Opera House was lit with the colours of the Israeli flag to show sympathy for........