Antisemitism is defined as hostility and prejudice toward Jews as well as taking discriminatory action towards Jewish people. Some consider antisemitism to be a form of racism.
The word antisemitism finds its roots in the German word antisemitisch, first used in 1860 by Austrian Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider, in his work regarding false ideas of "Semitic races" in comparison to "Aryan races." However, the discriminatory ideas and actions towards Jews have existed since long before the term was coined.
Early incidents of antisemitism and anti-Jewish persecution include the Edict of Expulsion from England in 1290, the persecution of Jews across Europe during the Black Death from 2348 - 1351, and the Spanish Inquisition and expulsion from Spain in 1492.
The 20th century saw both the Holocaust, the genocide of European Jews, and the expulsion of Jews from countries across the Middle East, leading to the displacement of approximately 850,000 Mizrahi Jews.
In recent years both Europe and the US have seen a steady increase in antisemitic incidents, and 90% of Jews in the European Union have said that they feel this is a serious problem.
US AFFAIRS: The congressman is outspoken about rising antisemitism, especially on college campuses, and has a deeply personal connection to Israel.
The UK plans to restrict protests near religious sites, mirroring Australian law, as Home Secretary cites need to protect synagogues during pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
“Anti-Zionism is nothing more than an alibi for antisemitism,” said Bardella.
“The Jewish community needs real protection, not hollow statements,” warns Rabbi Zamir Isayev.
The conference drew controversy and withdrawals from slated participants due to the presence of far Right politicians, such as France's Jordan Bardella.
EDITOR'S NOTES: “The world needs to understand,” Dodik said, “there is no peaceful coexistence where one side is always expected to apologize. We tried that. It failed.”
Adams reminded that antisemitism was a problem across the political spectrum, and argued that the labels of right and left were unhelpful when engaging with the Jewish community.
The former president decried double standards against the state of Israel, such as those denying the Jewish state the right to exist.
Chikli also warned about the danger of Islamic terrorism to the world, attacking Muslims as well.
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