Concerning survey: Nearly half of the world's population holds antisemitic views
A poll by the Anti-Defamation League revealed that this is the highest figure since it began monitoring global antisemitism in 2014.
Demonstration against anti-Semitism.
Nearly half of the world's population holds antisemitic views, the latest "Global 100" poll by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) indicated.
The poll, which surveyed 58,000 adults from 103 different countries, indicated that 46% of the world's adult population has deep-seated antisemitic beliefs.
This is a troubling statistic, as it represents the highest percentage since the ADL began conducting this poll in 2014. In fact, the current figure more than doubles that recorded a decade ago.
This scourge is most alarming among young people, with 50% of those under 35 holding antisemitic views, 13% more than those over 50.
Holocaust denial
Regarding the Holocaust, 20% indicated that they did not know what it was, while only 48% recognized the historical truth of the genocide suffered by the Jews at the hands of the Nazis. The figure drops to 39% among 18-34 year olds.
Only 16% in the Middle East and North Africa believe in the historical truth of the Holocaust, a number that rises to 23% in sub-Saharan Africa.
Countries and regions with the highest and lowest levels of antisemitism
Regarding negative stereotypes of Jews, 76% of the population in the Middle East and North Africa maintained that they believe them to be true.
Levels of antisemitism are also high in Asia (51%), Eastern Europe (49%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (45%). These percentages drop significantly in North and South America (24%), Western Europe (17%) and Oceania (20%).
Among the countries with the highest levels of antisemitism are Indonesia (the nation with the world's largest Muslim population), with 96%, Kuwait, with 97%, and the West Bank and Gaza Strip, also with 97%.
At the bottom of the list, the countries with the lowest levels of antisemitism are Sweden, at 5%, and Norway, Canada and the Netherlands, at 8% each.
Support for Hamas
Regarding the war in Gaza following the brutal Oct. 7 massacre, the survey indicated that 23% have a positive view of the terrorist group Hamas, a figure that rises to 29% among those under 35.
'Global emergency'
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, argued that antisemitism has become a "global emergency," especially in the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre. He called on the international community to work on education, protection on social media and new security protocols to prevent hate crimes.
Marina Rosenberg, ADL senior vice president for international affairs and former Israeli ambassador to Chile, expressed concern that antisemitic beliefs are becoming normalized in many societies. She added that this scourge is not only a threat to the Jewish community, but to everyone.
Room for optimism
However, there is also data that generates hope that the situation may begin to reverse. In this regard, the poll revealed that 57% of the world's population considers hatred of Jews to be a serious problem.
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