Antisemitism Continues to Surge in Czech Republic, Argentina Amid Global Rise in Jew-Hatred, New Data Shows

Around the globe, antisemitism has continued to surge, with the Czech Republic and Argentina both reporting sharp rises in antisemitic incidents, including targeted attacks against their Jewish communities, amid ongoing tensions over the war in Gaza.

On Friday, the Czech Republic’s Jewish community warned that the country saw a dramatic surge in antisemitism last year, registering 4,694 antisemitic incidents in 2024 during the Israel-Hamas war.

The Federation of the Jewish Communities (FŽO) released its annual report, revealing that anti-Jewish outrages last year rose nearly 8.5 percent compared to 2023. That year, 4,328 incidents were recorded, marking a 90 percent spike following the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The report shows that antisemitic incidents became far more severe after the Oct. 7 atrocities, with actual numbers likely higher due to underreporting by victims and witnesses.

“The Czech Republic is also affected by a worldwide, explosive wave of antisemitism that erupted immediately after the Hamas terror attack,” Petr Papoušek, FŽO’s chairman, said in a statement.  

“The subsequent war in the Gaza Strip had a decisive impact on the number and nature of antisemitic incidents in 2024 and contributed significantly to the polarization of Czech society,” he continued. 

According to the newly released report, hatred of Jews — particularly through the demonization of the state of Israel — has become socially acceptable and increasingly dominates public discourse. Experts say this wave of attacks has revealed “an unprecedented synergy” among the far right, the far left, Islamist groups, and disinformation-driven media.

“The unifying element is hatred of Israel, which works with the motives, narratives, conspiracies, and myths of traditional antisemitism,” Papoušek said.

In 2024, four physical attacks were recorded — compared to none in 2023 — all linked to the Middle East conflict, alongside 12 cases of desecration of Jewish cemeteries, monuments, and property — double the previous year’s total.

In one of the incidents, five teenagers were arrested in January last year after local authorities prevented an attempted arson attack at a synagogue in Brno, the country’s second-largest city in the southeast, with two facing terror-related charges.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Argentina, antisemitic attacks are also on the rise, with the local Jewish community increasingly under threat, the country’s Jewish umbrella organization warned on Thursday.

According to the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA), antisemitic incidents rose by 50 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, with even more expected, reaching an estimated 1,000 cases by the end of this year.

DAIA President Mauro Berenstein condemned the growing hostility and targeted attacks against the local Jewish community, emphasizing “antisemitism is not a fad — it is a crime, and it must be reported.”

“We urgently call on society not to normalize these acts of hatred. Discrimination is not just another message — it carries real, tangible consequences,” Berenstein said. 

*Alarmante crecimiento del antisemitismo en Argentina*

Alertamos que los casos de antisemitismo aumentaron un 50 % en 2025 respecto al año anterior y lamentablemente proyectamos 1.000 denuncias para este año.
Tal como señala nuestro presidente, Mauro Berenstein, en Infobae en… pic.twitter.com/qPucmPwWdL

— DAIA (@DAIAArgentina) November 20, 2025

In 2024, Argentina recorded 687 anti-Jewish outrages — up from 598 antisemitic incidents in 2023 — marking a notable surge in antisemitic activity in the country.

The report indicated that 66 percent of the antisemitic incidents originated in the digital realm, with a significant rise in Nazi symbols and conspiracy theories.

There was also a 34 percent increase in reported physical assaults, with such hate crimes rising in schools and neighborhoods.

Argentina and the Czech Republic have been hardly alone in reporting a surge in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. According to the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel, there was a staggering 340 percent increase in total antisemitic incidents worldwide in 2024 compared to 2022.

For example, the United States reported a 288 percent increase in antisemitic atrocities last year compared to 2022, while Canada experienced a 562 percent surge over the same period.

In Europe, France saw a surge of over 350 percent in antisemitic incidents, while the United Kingdom recorded a 450 percent spike, with nearly 2,000 acts of antisemitism in just the first half of 2024.

In South Africa, antisemitic incidents rose by 185 percent, while Australia experienced a sharp increase of 387 percent.