The Antisemitic Youth

To better understand the current risk and future of antisemitism, it is useful to examine the level of antisemitism in the younger generation, those aged 18 to 34 years old, the demographic which normally carries out terrorist attacks.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) did a comprehensive global poll of antisemitism in 2014. It found that there were 24 countries/ regions in which over half of the youth harbored antisemitic feelings.

Gaza/ West Bank 92%
Iraq 92%
Yemen 89%
Libya 89%
Algeria 87%
Morocco 84%
Tunisia 83%
Kuwait 82%
Jordan 80%
Lebanon 78%
Bahrain 77%
Qatar 76%
UAE 76%
Egypt 74%
Oman 74%
Saudi Arabia 73%
Turkey 71%
Greece 66%
Armenia 62%
Malaysia 58%
Senegal 54%
Iran 53%
Panama 52%
Hungary 50%

The most antisemitic youth were found in Muslim majority countries in the Middle East/ North Africa (MENA) region. In every Muslim country in MENA (with the exception of Syria which was not polled due to the civil war raging in the country), over half of the youth hated Jews. Greece and Armenia which both neighbor Turkey, also had a majority of their youth being antisemitic. Senegal, close to Morocco, is 94% Muslim was also on the hateful list. Panama and Hungary were the outliers, with a high percentage of antisemitic youth despite not being Muslim-majority nations nor located in the region.

Hungary stood out in another negative aspect as well.

In comparing the rate of antisemitism between the youth and older generation (aged 50 and over), the Jew-hatred was relatively uniform in the Muslim countries, meaning basically all Muslims hate Jews. However, looking at the gap between the antisemitism of the youth and the older generation yielded a different set of countries:

Country 18-34 35-49 50+ Hate-
Age Gap
Hungary 50% 45% 33% 17%
France 43% 43% 30% 13%
Botswana 34% 37% 24% 10%
Yemen 89% 92% 79% 10%
Morocco 84% 79% 75% 9%
Khazakstan 36% 32% 27% 9%
Montenegro 33% 29% 25% 8%
Turkey 71% 75% 63% 8%

Hungary and France showed much higher levels of antisemitism among the younger generation. There was some commonality among the youth of the two countries regarding their rationale towards despising Jews:

  • People hate Jews because of the way they behave (27% and 13% difference in Hungary and France, respectively)
  • Jews are responsible for most of the world’s wars (25% difference in Hungary)
  • Jews think they are better than others (16% difference in Hungary)
  • Jews don’t care about anyone but their own (11% and 16% difference in Hungary and France, respectively)
  • Jews have too much power in the business world (15% difference in France)
  • Jews have too much control over the US (15% in France)

The radicalization of the youth might show a trend for greater antisemitism in the years to come as well as a greater probability for antisemitic terrorism today.

Areas of Risk

The fact that Iraq and Yemen have some of the worst levels of antisemitism is not that relevant in that there are almost no Jews living in either country today. However, the level of antisemitism in some countries with a significant Jewish population is worrying.

Jewish Antisemitic
Country / Region Population Youth
USA      5,700,000 9%
France         453,000 43%
Judea and Samaria/ West Bank         400,000 92%
Canada         391,000 7%
United Kingdom         290,000 7%
Argentina         180,000 20%
Russia         172,000 27%
Germany         116,000 15%
Australia         113,000 17%
Brazil            93,000 13%
South Africa           69,000 38%
Ukraine           50,000 31%
Hungary           47,000 50%
Mexico            40,000 21%
Netherlands            30,000 4%
Belgium            29,000 16%
Italy            28,000 14%

According to the table above, there are over 1 million Jews living among highly antisemitic young people. While Israel provides active protection for the Jews living in the Israeli territories of Judea and Samaria / the West Bank, the Jewish communities in France, South Africa, Ukraine and Hungary are highly vulnerable.

Hakim Awad, 18 and Amjad Awad, 19, Palestinian Arab murderers
of two Jewish parents and children aged 11, 4 and 3-months, in Samaria

The most antisemitic youth are located in lands with a majority of Arab Muslims, from which Jews have been expelled over the past decades, with the exception of Judea and Samaria / the West Bank. Outside of the Muslim antisemitism potentially impacting the Jews of Turkey and Iran today, the small Jewish communities in Greece (est. 6,000 Jews), Panama (est. 14,000) and larger Hungary (est. 47,000) must be very mindful of the noxious Jew-hatred prevalent in the overall young populations which could overwhelm and terrorize their small communities.

Related First.One.Through articles:

Examining Ilhan Omar’s Point About Muslim Antisemitism


25,000 Jews Remaining

When Hate Returns

Your Father’s Anti-Semitism

Bibi’s Paris Speech in Context

Related First.One.Through videos:

1001 Years of Expulsions (music from Schindler’s List)

The 2011 Massacre of the Fogels in Itamar

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