RSS
Rome Synagogue Defaced With Nazi Graffiti as New Report Reveals Antisemitic Prejudice Rampant Across Italy
Security footage of the alleged assault of a Jewish boy in Rome on Jan. 29, 2025. Photo: Screenshot/Castelli Notizie
A masked vandal struck a synagogue in Rome on Saturday shortly before midnight, security camera footage shows, using black marker to leave behind a swastika and antisemitic statements — “Sieg Heil” and ”Juden Raus”— on a sign outside the building’s entrance.
Rabbi Menachem Lazar discovered the crime at Beis Shmuel the next day and filed a report with law enforcement which resulted in the opening of an investigation by Italian law enforcement. Clean-up work and restoration began shortly after uncovering the antisemitic vandalism.
The incident came before a report released on Wednesday by Eurispes — an Italian research institute that focuses on politics, economics, and social issues — revealed the extent of antisemitism in Italy today. The research came as part of an agreement signed in April with Pasquale Angelosanto, the national coordinator for the fight against antisemitism.
The researchers polled a representative sample of the country’s population and found that 37.9 percent of Italians think that Jews “only think about accumulating money” while 58.2 percent see Jews as “a closed community.” In January, the Anti-Defamation League released the newest results of its Global 100 survey which found that 26 percent of Italians — 13.1 million adults — embrace six or more antisemitic stereotypes.
A sizable minority also misperceived the number of Jews in the country: 23.3 percent believed 500,000 Jews lived in Italy while 16.5 percent thought Jews numbered 2 million, both groups amounting to nearly 40 percent of the population misinformed. The Institute for Jewish Policy Research estimates the number of Jews in Italy as ranging from 26,800 to 48,910 depending on which standards of observance one selects. Eurispes places the number at 30,000 with 41.8 percent of respondents answering correctly.
Likewise, a minority of respondents believed historically false ideas about the Holocaust. While 60.4 gave the correct number of 6 million Jewish Holocaust victims, 25.5 believed the number only reached two million and others said even smaller figures, amounting to approximately 40 percent of the population with an inaccurate understanding of the scope of the Nazi-perpetrated genocide.
The report also showed elevated levels of anti-Israel belief among younger Italians, with 50.85 percent of those 18-24 thinking that “Jews in Palestine took others’ territories.” This figure contrasted with 44.2 percent of the general population and tracked alongside ideological self-descriptors as 50 percent of center-left voters agreed while 35 percent of center-right and right-wing voters did.
A majority of respondents — 54 percent — regarded antisemitic crimes as isolated incidents and not part of any broader trend, contrary to the findings of the Antisemitism Observatory of the CDEC Foundation in Milan which saw a surge of 877 reported antisemitic incidents in 2024. Between the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on southern Israel and the end of that year, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi says the government counted 135 antisemitic incidents.
The wave of antisemitic incidents, often fueled by anti-Israel animus, has continued into this year.
In Italy’s Tuscany, for example, the regional council just voted to cut ties with Israel, a decision that came alongside the country’s president condemning conditions in Gaza as “inhumane and dangerous” while warning that Palestinian suffering would increase global antisemitism.
Last month, a restaurant in Naples ejected an Israeli family, telling them “Zionists are not welcome here.”
In November, a hotel manager in Rome canceled an Israeli couple’s booking a day before the start of their trip. He wrote to them, “Good morning. We inform you that the Israeli people as those responsible for genocide are not welcome customers in our structure.” The manager offered that the hotel “would be happy to grant free cancellation.”
On Jan. 29, a homeless Egyptian man in Rome attacked a Jewish boy and wounded the shopkeeper who intervened. At a protest on Jan. 11 in Bologna, demonstrators vandalized a synagogue, painting “Justice for a free Gaza.” Jonathan Peled, who serves as Israeli ambassador to Italy, described the incident as a “serious antisemitic attack which must be condemned with absolute firmness.”
In April, Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry and the Irwin Cotler Institute for Democracy, Human Rights, and Justice published an analysis naming Australia and Italy as two of the countries with the largest post-Oct. 7 bursts of antisemitism.
The report’s co-author Dr. Carl Yonker said that “in Italy, you see large drive in terms of anti-Israel activism, anti-Zionism activism that manifested itself as antisemitism in Italy.”
The post Rome Synagogue Defaced With Nazi Graffiti as New Report Reveals Antisemitic Prejudice Rampant Across Italy first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece
Greek riot police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters near the port of Rhodes during a demonstration targeting an Israeli cruise ship. Photo: Screenshot
Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with Greek riot police on Monday on the island of Rhodes as they attempted to block an Israeli cruise ship from docking at the island’s main port.
The MS Crown Iris — operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime — was once again targeted by anti-Israel activists this week.
Demonstrations against the war in Gaza took place during the ship’s scheduled stop on the island, where more than 600 passengers were set to disembark.
According to videos circulating on social media, riot police can be seen confronting a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the dock, who shouted antisemitic slogans like “Freedom for Palestine.”
As authorities worked to control the crowd, tensions escalated and brief clashes broke out.
Ένταση στο λιμάνι της Ροδου με την άφιξη Ισραηλινών τουριστών, πολλες προσαγωγές.
Συνελήφθη υποψήφια βουλευτής της Πλεύσης ελευθερίας. pic.twitter.com/gAPnUnxu1A
— Ακροκεντρώος (@akrokentrwos_2) July 28, 2025
However, unlike a previous incident, passengers were able to disembark from the cruise ship without any major interruptions.
Last week, approximately 1,600 Israeli passengers expecting a peaceful stop on their cruise were unable to disembark from a ship docked on the island of Syros after a pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port, raising safety concerns.
Around 300 protesters had gathered at the dock to protest against the war in Gaza, while Syros Port Authority police guarded the area and intervened to prevent violence until the ship departed.
Amid the large anti-Israel protest, the cruise company chose to divert the ship to Limassol, Cyprus.
In videos circulating on social media, protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags and holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent incident appears to be just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
Earlier this month in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.
When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.
The post Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel
US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.
“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”
Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.
Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”
Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”
The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.
“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”
Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.
Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.
The post Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen
On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.
The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.
Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.
Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.
“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”
The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.
On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”
The post Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany first appeared on Algemeiner.com.