In the face of a continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas, worldwide protests have been observed, many of which with antisemitic sentiments, with calls for increased security and global accountability becoming more prominent.
According to a report by the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry, On October 13th and 14th, cities including London, Rome, Geneva, and Delhi witnessed large-scale protests in response to Hamas's call for a "Day of Rage." These demonstrations, however, often did not reach their anticipated scale.
Concerns about potential antisemitic attacks have grown in light of these protests. The European Union has said it is leading efforts to monitor hate speech on social media platforms.
In the US, prominent educational figures and institutions, including Deborah Lipstadt, President of Harvard University, and Zareena Grewal, a lecturer at Yale University, have faced criticism and calls for resignation due to their stance on the conflict.
The United Nations Secretary-General has urged world leaders to stand against hate speech of all forms. The EU is actively monitoring digital content related to the conflict to ensure adherence to hate speech regulations.
Uprising in support of Hamas across several countries
In the UK, the BBC headquarters was vandalized by a pro-Palestinian activist group, and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke out against Israel at a protest. The Metropolitan Police reported a notable increase in anti-Semitic incidents.
France has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents since the conflict began, leading to several arrests and crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protests. The Minister of the Interior, Darmanin, also confirmed the link between a recent school attack and the ongoing Middle East situation.
Germany has outlawed public support for Hamas, and there are increased reports of anti-Semitic vandalism. Spain has heightened its counter-terrorism measures following recent events.
Australia witnessed a shocking event where individuals gave Nazi salutes at a Melbourne train station. A Jewish school in Toronto was also threatened, leading to police investigations. In addition, thousands of Australians joined pro-Palestinian rallies on Sunday, despite police threats to curb them amid tension after the bloody Hamas incursion into Israel eight days ago. Nations across the developed world are clamping down on such protests out of concern the conflict could trigger violence at home, with France banning them for fear they could disturb public order.
Protesters waved Palestine flags and chanted "Free, free Palestine '' as hundreds of police patrolled the area around one of the largest rallies in Sydney, capital of Australia's most populous state of New South Wales.
"We are not against Jewish people," he said. "They have been in Palestine for a long time, side by side with the Muslims and the Christians, we are all Palestinians. We are against the Zionists."
In addition, Chinese social media platforms have also seen a surge in antisemitic content, demonstrating the global impact of the Middle East conflict.