Headlines

UK Police Arrest Two in Suspected Terror Plot Targeting Jewish Community
Canada: Synagogue Shooting Leaves Officer Injured, Threats Spark Security Fears
Argentina: Judge Charges Iranians, Lebanese Citizen in 1994 AMIA Bombing

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Transcript

Good evening, and welcome to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler.

Counter-terrorism police in the United Kingdom have arrested two men in Manchester under the Terrorism Act 2000. The arrests are part of an investigation into a suspected terrorist plot targeting the Jewish community in the Manchester area, occurring during the Jewish High Holy Days. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans stated the arrests followed a long investigation and disrupted a plot. The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood acknowledged the distress the news causes Jewish communities, and the Community Security Trust called the situation "utterly chilling."

In Canada, authorities have reported escalating threats. Durham Regional Police arrested a 19-year-old man on charges of threats motivated by hate for posting online threats to shoot up a synagogue. This occurred just one day before a gunman opened fire outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario. The suspect, Sean Ward, fired on Const. Jeff Smith, who was on duty outside the synagogue during Yom Kippur services; the officer was critically injured, and the suspect died from his injuries. As reported by CTV News, this incident, following other attacks on Canadian synagogues, has heightened security concerns for Jewish communities. Dean Lavi of Jewish London described the shooting as a "wake-up call" for governments, noting that even smaller communities are now targets and urging increased government funding and a confrontation of the climate that allows antisemitism to grow.

Meanwhile, in Argentina, a significant legal step has been taken in the decades-long investigation into the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center. An Argentine judge has formally charged seven Iranians and a Lebanese citizen suspected of orchestrating the attack, which killed 85 people and wounded hundreds. The court classified the bombing as a crime against humanity and genocide, and the suspects could face trial in absentia. President Javier Milei has reaffirmed his government's commitment to accountability for the attack.

A high-profile dispute has also emerged between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In a video posted to social media, Netanyahu accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and inciting violence against Jewish New Yorkers, stating he would address the issue at the United Nations. Mamdani responded by calling Netanyahu the "architect of horrific genocide against Palestinians" and referencing the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for the Israeli leader. Netanyahu, speaking ahead of his UN address, criticized Mamdani for promoting "bogus charges" and fomenting hate.

On the campus front, an Alameda County Superior Court judge has ruled that the Oakland Unified School District in California has not fully complied with state mandates to address Jew-hatred. The ruling, reported by JNS, followed a lawsuit by the California Department of Education alleging inadequate actions to combat bias against Jewish and Israeli students. The court found the district has not implemented required trainings for employees and administrators on antisemitism and related instruction.

In Germany, the Social Democrats are addressing allegations of antisemitism within the far-left party "The Left," which recently won a victory in Berlin's state election. Accusations stem from a campaign event featuring a rapper chanting "Death to the IDF." Israel's ambassador to Germany warned of an "immediate existential threat" to the Jewish community in Berlin. While an antisemitism researcher described the debate as "overblown," potential coalition partners are urging "The Left" to take concrete steps against antisemitism.

Reports also indicate ongoing concerns on campuses and in communities. Rob Weisskirch resigned from the California Faculty Association, citing "persistent, entrenched antisemitism" and a refusal by the union to afford Jewish members adequate representation, according to his resignation. ADL data shows that 27.3% of Jewish students reported observing antisemitic incidents on college campuses, a trend underscored by incidents like the removal of a mezuzah ahead of Jewish High Holidays. In Queens, New York, the family of Cara Trager, who died after a hit-and-run, has expressed concerns that antisemitism may have been a factor, citing alleged vandalism of a kosher bagel shop by the suspect. Reporting by VINnews notes the family requested a meeting with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to discuss their concerns, which was declined, though it also stated no evidence had emerged showing the suspect specifically targeted Trager because she was Jewish.

Turning to rhetoric that meets IHRA definition criteria, Mahmoud Khalil publicly decried the "Zionist project" during a Yom Kippur service. Separately, Modern Orthodox schools organized protests outside NYC Mayor Mamdani's residence. Avi Weiss, a participant, stated that "anti-Zionism is antisemitism," arguing that denying a Jewish right to a land targets Jewish people and their descendants. Critics view Mamdani's condemnation of Israeli leaders, particularly his use of the term "genocide," as a personal attack.

In policy news, Senator Jacky Rosen, a co-chair of the Senate's antisemitism task force, visited Poland to discuss antisemitism and Holocaust issues.

This has been Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for joining us.

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

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Sources:
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- vinnews.com: https://vinnews.com/2026/09/22/family-of-slain-jewish-woman-says-mamdani-declined-meeting-over-antisemitism-concerns/
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