Antisemitism Watch

Political Leaders' Responses to Antisemitic Rhetoric Draw Scrutiny
Jewish Institutions Face Record Security Costs Amid Rising Threats
Suspect Charged With Promoting Hatred, Antisemitism, Genocide Advocacy

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

Today, we examine contrasting responses to antisemitic rhetoric from political figures and media personalities, alongside critical new figures on institutional security and legal accountability.

First, a sharp contrast is drawn between the Republican Party's decisive condemnation of David Duke in 2016 and the perceived delayed or indirect responses from some Democratic leaders to socialist streamer Hasan Piker. Piker, who commands over 11 million followers across platforms, has made statements including that "America deserved 9/11," calling Israel "the Jewish ISIS," and declaring Hamas "1,000 times better than Israel." He also warned American Jews that if they remain "singularly invested in Israel," someone might "take action" against them. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, while Republican leaders then strongly repudiated Duke, Democratic figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Representative Ro Khanna, and Mayor Brandon Johnson have appeared with or campaigned for figures associated with Piker. While Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed called Piker's 9/11 statement "dumb," he did not disavow Piker, and later released a statement condemning antisemitism without naming him. DNC Chairman Ken Martin and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also issued statements condemning antisemitism without naming Piker initially, though Jeffries later clarified he meant Piker. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who has previously called the BDS movement antisemitic, has not named Piker, despite Piker supporting BDS and Schumer endorsing El-Sayed, who also supports BDS. Former DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, however, directly stated, "Hasan Piker is a stone cold anti-Semite. Period. Stop." according to the Toronto Sun.

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism that his focus on denouncing Israel distracts from pressing city issues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit for the UN General Assembly is expected to highlight Mamdani's continued rhetoric. Reporting indicates Mamdani has a history of anti-Israel sentiment, co-founding a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter as an undergraduate and campaigning on enforcing international arrest warrants for Netanyahu. After the October 7th attacks, Mamdani expressed sadness for "hundreds of people killed across Israel and Palestine in the last 36 hours," drawing what critics described as a moral equivalence. He has also been criticized for delayed responses to antisemitic incidents and for statements linking NYPD actions to the IDF.

On HBO's "Real Time," comedian Bill Maher argued that what he termed celebrity "moral confusion" concerning the Gaza conflict, specifically labeling the war a genocide, is fueling a global rise in antisemitism. Maher criticized figures like rapper Macklemore for repeatedly calling for "Free Palestine" and stating "I know enough to know this is a genocide." Maher asserted that "Gaza equals genocide is a lie, an easily provable lie," according to Fox News Network.

Meanwhile, the financial burden of security for Jewish institutions has reached a new high. The Jewish Federations of North America estimates that over 4,500 Jewish nonprofit institutions are now spending approximately $1.02 billion annually on security. This figure represents a 33% increase from 2024 estimates. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, this surge is driven by persistent antisemitic threats. Personnel costs make up the largest share of this spending, with an estimated $150 million allocated for technology like cameras and controlled-entry systems. While the Anti-Defamation League recorded a 33% decrease in antisemitic incidents in 2025 compared to 2024, it was still the third-highest annual total since tracking began in 1979, with physical assaults rising 4% and those involving deadly weapons increasing 39%. Federal crime data also showed a decline in reported anti-Jewish hate crime incidents, though they still accounted for 63% of reported religion-based hate crimes in 2025, according to the ADL's analysis of FBI data.

Internationally, rising antisemitism in Milan, Italy, is necessitating increased security measures. Dalia Gubbay, vice president of Milan's Jewish community, told the Jerusalem Post that children attend school under heightened police protection, and security is also required near synagogues, with worshippers advised to disperse immediately after services for safety. Gubbay also noted that children are advised not to wear conspicuous religious items, such as a kippah or tzitzit, in public. An incident at a Bnei Akiva youth movement summer camp in Bulgaria involving her son and concerns about one-sided messaging within the education system were also highlighted.

Finally, in a legal development, a suspect has been charged in Canada with wilful promotion of hatred, wilful promotion of antisemitism, and advocating genocide. These charges stem from an investigation into alleged antisemitic posts, as reported by BellMedia.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- torontosun.com: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/elder-the-david-duke-standard-and-the-hasan-piker-exception
- breitbart.com: https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/09/12/ms-nows-hillyard-a-lot-of-antisemitism-islamophobia-in-u-s-derived-from-u-s-policy/
- nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2026/09/12/opinion/benjamin-netanyahus-un-visit-will-again-showcase-mamdanis-anti-israel-hate/
- foxnews.com: https://www.foxnews.com/media/bill-maher-rips-macklemore-gaza-stance-says-celebrity-moral-confusion-fueling-antisemitism
- youtube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYIvVzv02Go
- yahoo.com: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/jewish-security-spending-tops-1-184751162.html
- ua.news: https://ua.news/en/world/vitseprezidentka-ievreiskoyi-gromadi-milana-zaiavila-pro-posilennia-bezpeki
- ctvnews.ca: https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/local/hamilton/article/man-charged-with-hate-related-offences-following-investigation-into-alleged-antisemitic-posts/
- dailytelegraph.com.au: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/parents-of-bondi-massacres-youngest-victim-matilda-vow-were-not-going-to-be-scare/news-story/0032f42b1608ce629c4f274ab6d65a89