Italian Jews warn of widening threat of antisemitism, anti-Zionism
Jewish communities in Italy are reporting an increase in antisemitic hostility, citing incidents at public marches and the circulation of forms targeting 'Zionist' entities. Activists and community leaders express concern over the blurring lines between political protest and targeted harassment.
Why it matters
The rise in reported antisemitism in Europe reflects broader societal tensions regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict and its impact on local Jewish populations.
Dalia Gubbay had attended Milan's April 25 Liberation Day march many times before. There had always been shouting when supporters of the Jewish Brigade reached the center of the city, she said, but the hostility had usually been confined to a tense corner or a brief confrontation. This year, she said, the atmosphere was different. The Jewish Brigade, whose volunteers fought alongside Allied forces during World War II, was being commemorated during Italy's annual celebration of liberation from fascism. Gubbay, vice president of the Jewish Community of Milan, said demonstrators surrounded Jewish participants carrying Israeli and Jewish Brigade flags, shouted insults and ultimately forced them out of the procession under police escort. One woman looked at Gubbay and called her a murderer.
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