The events of October 7 intensified the campaign of delegitimization against Israel in the West in general, and in the United States in particular, reflected in increasingly anti-Zionist rhetoric and discourse among Muslim communities and leaders. This article examines prominent Muslim leaders in the United States who, over the past decade, have emerged as influential shapers of public opinion and analyzes how the events of October 7 not only deepened their hostility toward Israel but also reframed their messages within direct...
As the events of Hamas’s attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, unfolded on the ground and across social media, CyberWell’s monitoring technology quickly began to detect a surge of antisemitic content. In the 25 days following October 7, there was an 86% increase compared to the previous 25 days. Alarmingly, CyberWell’s technology also identified a significant shift in the Arabic discourse, moving from promoting traditional stereotypes of Jews, such as secret cabals controlling the world, to advocating for and justifying direct...
Last year, as the Israel-Hamas war unfolded, pro-Palestinian protests, encampments, building occupations, and votes on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) resolutions spread across hundreds of US university campuses. Over the last several weeks, three major studies timed for the start of the academic year provide the first systematic evidence of the breadth and impact of the protest movement. Protesters achieved some, but not all, of their aims and created an environment that many Jewish students perceived as hostile. Still, the...
This paper discusses the major trends in the portrayal of Jews and Israel in Muslim and Arab textbooks across the Middle East, North Africa, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia. The depiction of Jews ranges from vitriolic tropes typical of the traditions concerning the Prophet Muhammad’s seemingly tense relations with Arabian Jews to the influence of modern European antisemitism with a backlash against Zionist “settler-colonialism.” The textbooks also include positive references to the knowledge possessed by the “Israelites” and how they...
Alongside the global spread of pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli, and antisemitic narratives, fueled by the “green-red alliance” (formed between Islamists and radical leftists) in the West during the Israel–Hamas conflict, there is growing concern about the influence of the far-right movements, particularly in Europe. These movements see the war in the Gaza Strip as an opportunity to strengthen public support and promote their antisemitic ideology. It is crucial for the State of Israel to recognize the dangers posed by the far-right...
In an effort to advance normalization with Israel, Saudi Arabia faces muted but significant public opposition, which has been exacerbated following the war in Gaza. The popular rejection takes many forms: There is a religious dimension, which views a peace with Israel as contrary to Islamic law; a pro-Palestinian dimension, which regards opposition to normalization as a demonstration of support for the Palestinians; and a liberal perspective, which cautions that ties with Israel could empower the Saudi regime to further violate human...
The education of younger generations can serve as a useful tool for researchers seeking to understand the vision of a country’s leadership in the medium and long term. Israel–Egypt relations are a clear case that requires a forward-looking perspective. Although limited in their scope and depth, the two countries have peaceful and stable relations and diverse collaborations; they also carry traumas from the past and deeply rooted conceptions of hostility and suspicion. The question examined in this article is how education in Egypt...
Singapore attaches utmost importance to racial and religious harmony and recognizes that its impressive success in this critical area is not to be taken for granted and that maintaining it requires ongoing vigilance. It is no surprise, therefore, that in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 terror attack and the subsequent Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, the island’s highly shrewd sociopolitical senses responded powerfully, including with practical measures. Singapore and Israel exist in fundamentally different...
In recent months, France has weathered a wave of severe violence rooted in Islamic radicalization. The tentative and inconsistent government response has increased public outrage and strengthened the far-right parties. Mass demonstrations by Hamas supporters have triggered antisemitic violence, and the attempt to present a united front in the fight against antisemitism was met with President Macron’s indecisive stance and the left’s refusal to condemn Hamas. Domestic considerations have also influenced the President’s viewpoint on...
The October 7 massacre in the western Negev and the subsequent war with Hamas have generated a notable surge in antisemitism and hatred of Israel in the United States. This phenomenon is characterized principally by a high level of hostility displayed toward Israel, numerous violent acts targeting Jews, and significant participation by younger people in protests, particularly Millennials and Generation Zers, many of whom refuse to see Israel as a victim of aggression and, rather, justify the actions of Hamas. These phenomena are...
Since October 7 and the launch of the Swords of Iron war, and against the backdrop of increased public unrest and a wave of protests branded as “pro-Palestinian,” there has been a sharp uptick in the number of antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents in the West. These demonstrations are greater in scale and intensity than ever before, though the identity of the organizers of most of them comes as no surprise. As has been the case for the past two decades, the organizers are activists in civil society organizations. Many have a patently...
Since the massacre by Hamas in Israel on October 7, condemnations by religious figures in the Arab-Muslim world have been noticeably lacking. Particularly egregious is the absence of al-Azhar Institute in Egypt, considered a veteran and prestigious Sunni religious authority that under the Egyptian constitution enjoys a state budget and financial support from the United Arab Emirates. The establishment that Egypt used to present as a beacon of “religious moderation” and the standard bearer of the ideological struggle against Islamic...
