Antisemitic violence at record high for Jews outside Israel

With Holocaust Remembrance Day approaching in Israel, a recent analysis from Tel Aviv University reveals a sharp increase in severe antisemitic attacks across the West in 2025. The report highlights that 20 Jews were killed in four fatal incidents last year, marking the highest number of antisemitic murders in over three decades. These figures were compiled in advance of the commemoration date, April 14, and show a significant trend compared to previous years.

Statistics show that Western nations experienced a surge in antisemitic acts beyond just murders. Cases involving physical harm, vandalism of Jewish institutions, and online hate speech all saw an uptick from 2022, the year preceding Hamas’ October 7 attacks and Israel’s conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and its subsequent war with Iran. The report, which has been published annually since 2001, draws data from law enforcement, Jewish communities, and various organizations worldwide.

Highlighting the deadliest event

The most alarming antisemitic incident of 2025 occurred during a Hanukkah celebration in Australia’s Bondi Beach near Sydney on December 14. A shooting at the event left 15 dead and dozens injured, becoming the report’s focal point. Australia’s overall antisemitic incidents rose slightly, from 1,727 in 2024 to 1,750 in 2025. Both years showed a steep increase from 2022’s 472 cases.

“The normalization of antisemitic rhetoric in American political discourse” emerged as the report’s most concerning trend. It specifically pointed to U.S. President Donald Trump and his associations with “deep-seated, loathsome antisemites within his camp.” The analysis criticized the way Trump linked Israel’s fate to his personal influence, referencing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks on a “special connection” with Trump as an example of “existential folly.”

The report also noted Trump’s “inflammatory, degrading political rhetoric” and his “contempt for the rule of law” as contributing to the growing threat against Jewish communities. Additionally, the waning support for Israel in both Republican and Democratic circles in the U.S. was highlighted as a source of anxiety for local Jews.

Germany’s mixed trends

While Germany’s total antisemitic incidents dropped slightly in 2025, compared to 6,560 in 2024, cases of physical violence remained steady. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) recorded 144 such incidents in 2025, similar to the 148 reported in 2024. Police recently informed parliament that many of these crimes were tied to the escalation following Hamas’ October 7 attack in 2023 and Israel’s response in Gaza.

Debates have arisen in Germany over the criminalization of certain pro-Palestine symbols, including the phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Since 2023, this expression has been legally classified as an antisemitic offense, prompting backlash from global activists and human rights groups.

The report attributes antisemitic violence to a range of motives, including Islamism and right-wing extremism. As the analysis continues, it also includes a study on antisemitism within the healthcare sector and a metadata review of documented perpetrators, offering a broader perspective on the issue.