Antisemitic incidents in Spain rose sharply in 2025, with Jewish community leaders warning that hostility and discrimination have become an increasingly routine part of Jewish life since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
A new report presented in Madrid by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE) and the Movement Against Intolerance (MCI) documented 221 antisemitic incidents during 2025, compared with 193 the previous year, representing an increase of 14.51%.
The highest numbers of incidents were recorded in July, September and October. The organizations said the figures point to a continuing pattern of heightened antisemitism that has taken hold since the October 7 massacre.
FCJE President David Obadiah warned that the deteriorating climate is having a direct impact on the daily lives of Spain’s Jewish population. He said that since October 2023, Jews in Spain have increasingly been forced to rely on special security arrangements as they go about their lives.
“Our children are the only ones who go to their schools with a police presence, and insults and discrimination are part of our reality every day,” Obadiah said.
He also charged that positions promoted by elements of Spain’s far left have contributed to the worsening atmosphere facing the country’s Jewish community.
Esteban Ibarra, president of the Movement Against Intolerance, called for a forceful institutional response and rejected attempts to portray antisemitism as legitimate political discourse.
“Antisemitism is not an opinion or a political disagreement, but a form of hatred and discrimination against Jews. When it is tolerated, normalized or minimized, coexistence deteriorates and democracy is weakened,” Ibarra said.
The FCJE and MCI are calling for a strong and coordinated response involving government authorities, educational institutions, universities and digital platforms.
The organizations stressed that the ability of Jewish citizens to live freely and safely should be regarded as a measure of the health of Spanish democracy as a whole.
{Matzav.com}
