A new report by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) warns that antisemitism has surged to alarming levels worldwide since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, with more than 13,000 incidents recorded globally over the past two years — the highest in recent memory.

The findings, released by CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC), show a sharp and sustained rise: 1,785 incidents were reported in the final three months of 2023 alone, nearly matching the total for all of 2022. That number more than tripled in 2024, to 6,326 incidents, and another 5,118 cases have already been documented in the first nine months of 2025.

The data underscores what CAM officials call “a historic and dangerous normalization of antisemitism” worldwide — a trend that formed the backdrop to this week’s Latin America Summit Against Antisemitism in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fifth annual summit, hosted in partnership with the City of Rio, the Brazilian Jewish Confederation (CONIB), and the Jewish Federation of Rio (FIERJ), brought together roughly 1,000 leaders from 18 countries, including lawmakers, mayors, and faith representatives.

Despite tense diplomatic relations between Israel and Brazil — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza and blocked the appointment of a new Israeli ambassador — the conference proceeded as planned, signaling what organizers described as “a united stand against hate.”

During the summit, participants signed a joint declaration calling on Latin American governments to adopt stronger anti-hate laws and policies in response to what they described as “the worst wave of antisemitism since the Holocaust.” The declaration also expressed solidarity with Israel and demanded accountability from Iran for “global terrorist activities,” citing its proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

The gathering also saw the launch of a new regional body, Latin American Legislators Against Antisemitism, to coordinate parliamentary efforts across the continent.

“October 7th cannot be forgotten,” said Shay Salamon, CAM’s Director of Hispanic Affairs. “Even as we celebrate the release of hostages, antisemitism won’t disappear when the war ends. It must be fought with education, empathy, and joint action.”

Salamon noted the symbolism of hosting the event in Rio — the first city in the world to adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism and to designate October 7 as Antisemitism Awareness Day. But he also acknowledged Brazil’s worsening climate for Jews, citing a marked increase in antisemitic rhetoric and violence over the past year.

CAM CEO Sacha Roytman said the movement’s work in Latin America — including partnerships in Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico — has made tangible progress but remains an uphill battle. “Antisemitism is a daily, ongoing fight,” Roytman said. “Jewish communities lost their sense of safety on October 7, and we are determined to help restore it.”

Uruguayan Senator Javier García, a former defense minister, told the summit that antisemitism “is not just a Jewish issue — it’s an issue for all of us.” He urged non-Jewish leaders to take ownership of the fight, warning that “hatred against one faith is a threat to every democracy.”

The Rio summit closed with a call for “unity, courage, and action” — and, as one delegate put it, a reminder that “the fight against antisemitism must never again be left to the Jews alone.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)