Foreign Ministry receives 45 reports of antisemitic incidents against Israelis abroad in last year

According to ministry officials, a record number of antisemitic incidents took place. It included physical assaults, fights, spitting, verbal abuse, denial of service, and expulsion from hotels.Follow us on GooglePro-Palestinian demonstrators carry a banner during a protest against the arrival of an Israeli cruise ship in the port of Piraeus near Athens, Greece, June 12, 2025. (photo credit: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki)ByMATHILDA HELLERJULY 20, 2026 16:26Israel’s Foreign Ministry has received 45 reports of antisemitic incidents against Israelis abroad since July 2025, the ministry revealed in its new “Map of Distress.”According to ministry officials, this is a record number of antisemitic incidents. It included physical assaults, fights, spitting, verbal abuse, denial of service, and expulsion from hotels, cafes and restaurants.“Over the past year we have seen a phenomenon we had never encountered on this scale before: Israelis contacting us after experiencing antisemitic incidents while abroad,” said Deputy Director-General for Consular Affairs Eli Yifrah.“In several countries, there were reports of Israelis being identified because of their nationality or visible Israeli symbols and becoming targets of harassment, threats and even physical attacks.”Alongside the 45 cases of antisemitic incidents, there were 384 cases involving missing persons or loss of contact, 292 arrests of Israeli citizens, 196 Israelis hospitalized abroad, 149 rescue operations from dangerous areas and 23 Israelis involved in natural disasters.PEOPLE ATTEND a vigil organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism and Chabad UK to honour victims of the Bondi attack in Sydney and mark the second night of Hanukkah, in London, Britain, December 15, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)The countries with the highest number of cases where assistance was provided were the United Arab Emirates (615 incidents), Thailand (347 incidents), Greece (206), the US (202) and Italy (181).Data collected from TravIL appOverall, consular systems processed nearly 200,000 cases during the first half of 2026. This included the sensitive task of arranging the return of 846 deceased Israelis for burial in Israel, most of whom were from New York and Paris.The newly released data follows the successful launch of the TravIL emergency app two weeks ago.The Foreign Ministry said the figures demonstrate exactly why the app is needed. TravIL was developed to help prevent these situations and provide critical assistance during emergencies.The app includes a secure digital document vault where travelers can store copies of their passport, helping speed up the replacement process and reducing bureaucracy. It also has a location-based emergency button that instantly transmits your GPS coordinates directly to the ministry’s Situation Room in Jerusalem.“The Foreign Ministry’s consular network continues to operate around the clock, 24 hours a day, through Israel’s missions worldwide, providing assistance and services to Israeli citizens in a wide range of routine and emergency situations,” Yifrah said.He told Israeli media that the increase in consular activity reflects both the growing number of Israelis traveling abroad and the complex security situation since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War.Follow us on Google