Antisemitic incidents escalated worldwide in frequency and intensity during the 2008–2009 Gaza War, and were widely considered to be a wave of reprisal attacks in response to the conflict.Philippe Naughton, "Gaza conflict fuels anti-Semitic attacks across Europe", Times Online 6 January 2009French Jews uneasy after spate of violent attacks: Concerns raised about resurgence of anti-Semitism after dozens of incidents sparked by Gaza offensive , Reuters (cited in the Toronto Star 12 February 2009), humanrightsfirst.org 23 January 2009Jewish Agency: Anti-Semitic acts in Jan. 2009 triple last year's records , Haaretz 25 January 2009

The number and severity of reported incidents was particularly high in France and the United Kingdom, countries with large Muslim and Jewish populations. The incidents, which included firebombings and arson of Jewish buildings,Jews in Sweden under increasing threat , "The Local", 7 January 2009 attacks on Jewish individuals, defacement of synagogues and vandalism, drew reactions from several governments and non-governmental organizations worldwide. Most perpetrators of these attacks have not been identified or prosecuted.

Scale According to figures released by the Global Forum Against Anti-Semitism, a body affiliated with the Jewish Agency, the number of antisemitic attacks around the world during Israel's three-week military operation against Hamas in Gaza was up more than 300% compared to the same period the preceding year, reaching a two-decade high. More than 250 incidents were reported during Israel's 22-day assault, compared to 80 during the same period the previous year. The bulk of the incidents were carried out in Western Europe and were led by local Muslims. The violent assaults included attacks against both synagogues and Jewish communities, as well as vandalism of privately owned Jewish property.Highest anti-Semitism rates in 2 decades , The Jerusalem Post, 25 January 2009 The Community Security Trust confirmed that January 2009 was the worst month ever in Britain for antisemitic incidents, in the wake of Israel's action in Gaza.Pioneering move to fight race hate , 19 February 2009

A spokesman for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) stated that "We have always seen a link between violence in the Middle East to antisemitism but we have never seen anything like what we are seeing now.... Not on this scale, not in this intensity." "It has been the worst we've ever seen."

In Greece a sharp rise of reported antisemitic violent incidents was reported with 13 physical attacks on Jewish targets within a one-month timeframe, while the Mass Media and political establishment maintaining a heavily pro-Palestinian orientation and ignoring antisemitic attacks with "Antisemitic references, drawing parallels with the Holocaust and the Nazis, cartoons with Nazi comparison, have been common place during this period"."January ‘09: Antisemitic violence in Greece" Abravanel Blog, 27 January 2009"The impact of the Gaza Conflict on Greek society and the Jewish Community" Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, 26 February 2009

Turkey's Jewish community stated that it has never seen anything like the antisemitism which emerged as a result of the public's fury over the situation in Gaza., Reuters, 26 January 2009 The head of Oslo's Jewish community spoke of an "explosion of violence" in anti-Jewish protests, the likes of which had never occurred in the past.Summit on Holocaust: Gaza war legitimized equating Jews with Nazis , Haaretz, 27 January 2009 Silvyo Ovadya, head of the Jewish community of Turkey, noted that "every speech criticizing Israel has a tendency to turn into cries of 'Damn Jews.' I don't recall such an atmosphere previously." In the United Kingdom, the Jewish Chronicle called the outbreak the "worst wave of hate for quarter of a century".(16 January 2009) Worst wave of hate for quarter of a century , Jewish Chronicle The BBC quoted an east London community activist who said that "the level of anger is so great over Gaza – nothing I have ever seen before, much higher than over Afghanistan."Muslims urge end to anti-Semitism, BBC, 16 January 2009

Threats and intimidation Mahmoud Zahar, a leading member of Hamas, made a statement reported by the international media as a threat to kill Jewish children worldwide. Zahar said that the Israelis "have legitimised the murder of their own children by killing the children of Palestine... They have legitimised the killing of their people all over the world by killing our people." Basim Naim, the minister of health in the Hamas government in Gaza, later claimed that this statement had been misunderstood, and that Hamas has "no quarrel with the Jewish people". Douglas Davis of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council commented on Naim's statement by quoting from Article 7 of the Hamas Charter: "The Prophet, prayer and peace be upon him, said: 'The [end of days] will not come until Muslims fight the Jews and kill them; until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him!'".Douglas Davis, Europa Europa: 1930s Redux? , Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council 23 January 2009

Joods Actueel, a Belgian Jewish magazine, received a dozen death threats on its website, including a threat to carry out a suicide attack to "avenge the suffering of the Palestinians".Antwerp Jews receive death threats , expatica.com, 6 January 2009 In Turkey, Jews in Istanbul did not want to be identified as Jews and were afraid to walk down the street.'Scared to be identified as Jews' , ynet, 2 January 2009 In Indonesia, protestors shut down the country's only synagogue, threatening to drive out the country's Jews.Jews in Muslim lands anxious over Gaza war, 16 February 2009

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, on 30 Dec 2008, Mohammed T. Alkaramla sent a letter threatening to bomb the Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Chicago. The letter threatened that explosives would be set off around the school unless the violence in Gaza stopped by 15 Jan 2009. Alkaramla wrote, "It [sic] very important to make quick action before we make our decisions to set bombs."21 March 2009, Jordanian arrested for allegedly threatening to bomb U.S. Jewish schools over Gaza op, Associated Press Man charged with threatening Jewish school, 20 March 2009, http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=280566&src=143

On 7 January 2009 the UK tabloid newspaper The Sun printed a false story claiming that participants in a discussion on Ummah.com, a British Muslim internet forum, had made a "hate hit list" of British Jews to be targeted by extremists over the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict. The story was widely covered in the press and prompted the police to advise prominent British Jews to review their security arrangements.Adam Fresco, Sean O'Neill and Adam Sage, "Police warn British Jews of revenge attacks", The Times 8 January 2009 It was subsequently revealed that Glen Jenvey, the source of the story in The Sun, had himself been posting to the forum under the pseudonym "Abuislam" and created the only evidence that pointed to anything other than a peaceful letter-writing campaign. The story has since been removed from The Sun'''s website following complaints to the UK's Press Complaints Commission. On 23 February 2009, Sir Alan Sugar, who was named as a terror target in Jenvey's story, instituted legal action against The Sun for publishing the article.

Incidents This section details incidents of physical attacks against Jewish persons and property, as well as discrimination and antisemitic statements by government officials. More minor incidents such as antisemitic harassment and hate speech in the context of anti-Israel demonstrations were reported in Argentina, Australia,Australian activist sorry for anti-Semitic remarks , JTA, 29 January 2009 Canada,The ‘oldest hatred’ lives, from Gaza to Florida , 12 January 2009 and Turkey.Christopher Torchia, Turkey urged to prosecute anti-Semitic acts, Associated Press 4 February 2009 Nazi imagery, offensive to most Jews, and slogans suggesting comparison between the Holocaust and Israel's current actions were used in anti-Israel rallies across Europe. The European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency states that "drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis" is one of several possible manifestations of antisemitism with regard to Israel.AJC Alarmed by Manifestations of Anti-Semitism in Greek Media , American Jewish Committee, 8 January 2009 Most protesters, however, rejected any accusation of antisemitism.Aron Heller, Jewish leaders object to Nazi imagery at rallies , Associated Press 20 January 2009 Antisemitic statements also increased on blogs and internet forums."Jews in Sweden under increasing threat" , The Local: Sweden's news in English 7 January 2009

Africa

South Africa South African Deputy Foreign Minister Fatima Hajaig made allegedly antisemitic comments at a pro-Palestinian rally in Lenasia. She was quoted as saying "They in fact control [America], no matter which government comes into power, whether Republican or Democratic, whether Barack Obama or George Bush... The control of America, just like the control of most Western countries, is in the hands of Jewish money and if Jewish money controls their country then you cannot expect anything else."South Africa Jews slam deputy FM's anti-Semitic comments , Haaretz, 28 January 2009 A Democratic Alliance spokesperson, who called her comments "bargain-basement conspiracy mongering", said that the Deputy Minister must apologize for her comments or be dismissed from office.Hajaig must apologise or go: Leon, The Times 28 January 2009 Hajaig later apologized for her comments, saying "I conflated Zionist pressure with Jewish influence."Amir Mizroch, S. African deputy FM apologizes again for 'Jewish money' comment, Jerusalem Post 7 February 2009Jewish board satisfied with Hajaig apology Mail & Guardian

Asia

Indonesia Islamists marched to the gates of the country's only synagogue stating that "If Israel refuses to stop its attacks and oppression of the Palestinian people, we don't need to defend (the synagogue's) presence here." Protestors threatened to drive out the Jews of Surabaya. The synagogue has been shuttered since.Jews in Muslim lands anxious over Gaza war, Boston.com, 16 February 2009

Turkey Anti-Jewish articles appeared in some Turkish newspapers, and openly antisemitic graffiti was common. A giant swastika was daubed opposite Istanbul's Israeli Consulate and Jewish symbols were trampled and burned. Although Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned antisemitism, Jews in Turkey believed that antisemitic incidents were encouraged by Erdoğan's reaction to the conflict. A sign reading "Jews cannot enter, dogs can" was put at the door of a civic group's office in Eskişehir and removed after a media outcry. Silvyo Ovadya, the head of Musevi Cemaati, Turkey's main Jewish group, said in late January 2009 that there were several hundred examples of recently published writing with antisemitic messages linked to the Gaza conflict. He urged the state to take legal action. As a result, the number of Turkish Jews immigrating to Israel increased. Eli Cohen, director-general of the Jewish Agency's Immigration and Absorption Department in Jerusalem said that about 250 Turkish Jews were expected to move to Israel in 2009, more than double the 112 who immigrated in 2008.

Yemen