Following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, which sparked the Gaza war, there has been a global spike in antisemitic incidents, with World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel reporting a surge of more than 600%.
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The World Zionist Organization will convene a conference at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem on Tuesday, gathering Jewish leaders to devise strategies for addressing the challenges confronting Jewish communities in Israel and globally. This marks the first such conference since October 7, with over 500 Jewish leaders across 38 countries in attendance.
In an interview with Ynet, Hagoel said, "A war broke out on October 7, not only against the State of Israel, but also against the entire Jewish people. On that day, a very large campaign began on social media platforms against Israel and also against the Jewish people. This caused antisemites around the world to rear their heads, gain support and target Jews."
The World Zionist Organization head also said that Jews’ sense of security worldwide has been impacted by the global rise in antisemitism. "We’re talking about an increase of over 600% in violent antisemitic incidents since October 7," he said. "Even prior to this, we were experiencing a very tense decade in terms of antisemitism; it's not easy being Jewish - not in Israel and certainly not outside of Israel."
Hagoel added that since the outbreak of the war, over 8,000 Jews from around the world have chosen to make Aliyah and relocate to Israel. "It’s important to remember that Israel is a location issued in travel advisories worldwide, and people made the decision to arrive here before the war and didn’t change their plans," he said. "I expect that over 100,000 Jews will make Aliyah by the end of the year.”
He called on world leaders to act against antisemitism and to protect their Jewish citizens. "It’s important to remember that the responsibility for the safety of Jews worldwide lies with the sovereign states. If I live in or travel in the UK - the responsibility for my well-being falls on the British government," he concluded.