Amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas, a surge in antisemitism has been observed globally. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported over 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. between October 7, 2023, and October 6, 2024, marking the highest number in a single year since the organization began tracking this data in 1979.
Following the devastating attacks on the Jewish people, protests arose on university campuses and in major cities. Notably, on October 8, 2023, just a day after the attacks and before Israel’s response, a gathering in Times Square celebrated the perpetrators and condemned the victims.
According to Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Israel’s special envoy for combating antisemitism, “The same lethal antisemitism that drove the atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity on October 7th is also driving the reactions to those atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.”
Cotler-Wunsh warns of a “global tsunami” of antisemitism, describing anti-Zionism as a “new strain” of “an ever-mutating lethal virus.”
Cotler-Wunsh stated, “If we analyze the instances of this significant backlash, we can trace it to the execution of six hostages—one of whom was American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.”
“The fact that, following that execution, instead of outrage in the streets, including in New York City, we witnessed support for Hamas, the executioners—Hamas, a U.S.-designated genocidal terror organization—is deeply concerning.”
Cotler-Wunsh notes that while antisemitism was already increasing before October 7, the attacks exposed the underlying hate. She stresses that this issue extends beyond the Jewish community and serves as a warning for all of humanity.
“Historically, the normalization of this type of mainstream hate is a predictor of a major threat to freedom, humanity, and the dignity of difference,” she said.
Referring to the university protests in America, Cotler-Wunsh cited examples of professors, such as Cornell’s Russell Rickford, who praised or minimized the October 7 attacks, with Rickford describing the attacks as “exhilarating.” She argues that schools must consistently enforce their policies and address systemic violations, such as the anti-Israel demonstrations on campuses.
Cotler-Wunsh asserted, “Any rule that is not applied equally and consistently is essentially meaningless.”
However, Cotler-Wunsh emphasizes that enforcement is only the initial step. She advocates for institutions worldwide, including universities, to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
The IHRA defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
While criticism of Israel is not inherently antisemitic under the IHRA definition, “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” is considered antisemitic according to IHRA standards.
Various countries and organizations, including the U.S. and the United Nations, have adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism. The Combat Antisemitism Movement reports that, as of February 1, 2025, 1,266 entities, including national and local governments and international organizations, have adopted the definition.