As Israel comes into focus amid the ongoing war against Hamas, antisemitism has risen across the globe. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said it recorded over 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. between Oct. 7, 2023, and Oct. 6, 2024. The ADL said it was the highest number of incidents ever recorded in a single year since it began tracking such data in 1979. 

In the aftermath of the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust, protests erupted on university campuses and in the streets of major cities. In fact, on Oct. 8, 2023 —just one day after the massacre and before Israel’s retaliation — a crowd gathered in Times Square to celebrate the attackers and condemn the victims.

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“The very same lethal antisemitism that fueled the atrocities, the war crimes, the crimes against humanity perpetrated on October the 7th is the antisemitism that fuels the responses to the atrocities, to the war crimes, to the crimes against humanity perpetrated on October the 7th,” Israel’s special envoy for combating antisemitism Michal Cotler-Wunsh told Fox News Digital. 

Cotler-Wunsh warns there is a “global tsunami” of antisemitism, and anti-Zionism is a “new strain” of “an ever-mutating lethal virus.”

“If we track these moments in which we’ve seen this unfathomable backlash, we could track it to the execution — [the] point-blank execution of six of the hostages who were held in captivity—one, of course, being American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin,” Cotler-Wunsh told Fox News Digital.

Anti-Israel protesters march on Capitol Hill on July 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)

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“And the understanding that in response to that point-blank execution, instead of seeing outrage in the streets — including in New York City — what we saw was support for Hamas, the executioners, if you will. Hamas, a genocidal terror organization designated as such by the United States of America.”

While antisemitism was on the rise prior to Oct. 7, the attacks “ripped off many, many masks,” according to Cotler-Wunsh. However, she emphasizes that this is not just a problem for Jewish people; this is a warning shot for humanity.

“What we have seen systematically in this normalization historically through time is that antisemitism, when it comes to this state of normalized mainstream lethal hate, just predicts what is a major threat to freedom, humanity, and the dignity of difference.”

When speaking about the protests seen at universities across America, Cotler-Wunsh pointed to the examples of professors who either praised or downplayed the Oct. 7 attacks, including Cornell professor Russell Rickford, who described the massacre as “exhilarating.” She believes that schools need to start consistently applying policies and cracking down on systemic violations of those policies, such as the anti-Israel demonstrations seen on so many campuses.

“No rule that is not applied equally and consistently is worth the paper that it is written on,” Cotler-Wunsh told Fox News Digital.

Student protesters gather in protest inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

However, Cotler-Wunsh says that enforcing rules is only the first step. She believes institutions across the globe, not just universities, need to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

The IHRA definition states: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

While criticizing Israel is not necessarily an antisemitic act, even under the IHRA’s definition, “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” is considered antisemitic by the IHRA’s standards.

Countries and institutions across the globe, such as the U.S. and the United Nations, have adopted the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism. The Combat Antisemitism Movement says that as of Feb. 1, 2025, 1,266 entities have adopted the definition, which includes national and local governments, as well as international organizations.

A 19-year-old died on Friday in a hospital in Serbia, becoming the 16th fatality in the collapse of a concrete awning at a train station in November. The tragedy triggered months of anti-corruption protests rattling Serbia’s government.

Vukašin Crnčević died more than four months after tons of concrete crashed down on 1 November without warning, on him and other people outside the central train station in the northern city of Novi Sad.

Thousands of people on Friday evening marched through the streets of Novi Sad and lit candles in a vigil for Crnčević.

Many in Serbia believe the deadly crash was the result of poor renovation work on the station building which arose from rampant government corruption, negligence and disrespect of the safety regulations.

Months-long protests demanding accountability over the crash have drawn hundreds of thousands of people. Daily protests and blockades have up to now included 15-minute silence for those who had died in the disaster.

Silent traffic blockades were held on a number of different locations in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, Novi Sad and other cities on Friday.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić announced plans on Friday to organise counter-rallies, which could further escalate tensions and potentially cause clashes between groups of protesters.

In the southern city of Niš, protesters threw eggs and water at the mayor from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party in a Friday protest. Riot police units were deployed to secure the party meeting.

Vučić demanded in a video posted on Instagram that all “bandits” be arrested. He announced he would visit Niš, promising to put “all the thugs” behind bars.

Vučić accuses protesters of “terrorising” people in Serbia and of bringing about violence, although the anti-graft protests — which are led by university students — have been largely peaceful.

The latest rally in Belgrade last weekend was among the biggest ever held in the Balkan country, which has a long record of anti-government demonstrations. Authorities have faced accusations of using a sonic cannon against protesters during the commemorative silence on Saturday evening, Vučić and other government officials have denied this accusation.

Initially, 14 people were killed and three were injured in the Novi Sad station crash. Belgrade’s military hospital, which was treating Crnčević, said that he died due to “complex injuries” and “ensuing complications.”