Recent reported attacks on Jewish individuals, including one in London, have renewed concerns about antisemitism in liberal democracies such as the United Kingdom, United States, and France, prompting debate about the resilience of social cohesion and norms of tolerance in these societies.

Although there has been a noticeable rise in antisemitic rhetoric and physical attacks following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza, these events should be understood as a trigger rather than a root cause. Antisemitism has a long and complex history, and there is no shortage of explanations for this persistent form of prejudice, some of which are explored below.

Historically, Jewish communities have faced ostracism, violence, and persecution for a wide range of reasons that have shifted across time, geography, and ideology. Across different contexts, antisemitic narratives have often attributed contradictory roles to Jews—portraying them simultaneously as agents of capitalism and of communism, as overly assimilated and as separatist, and as both powerful and marginal. These contradictions reflect the flexibility of antisemitic stereotypes rather than any coherent or factual basis.

Although Jews represent a small proportion of the global population, (0.02%) antisemitic narratives have at times exaggerated Jewish influence far beyond demographic reality. A persistent feature of antisemitism is its tendency to construct distorted perceptions of collective Jewish power, intent, or control.

Antisemitism is widely understood as a recurring and historically persistent form of prejudice rather than a modern phenomenon. While its expressions evolve over time, it frequently draws on older tropes and conspiratorial frameworks, which can be amplified in contemporary environments such as social media and politically polarized discourse.

Explanations for antisemitism vary. Some scholars describe it as a systemic phenomenon that can emerge across different societies, while others emphasize scapegoating dynamics or the transmission of inherited cultural narratives. There is also disagreement about whether antisemitism can ever be fully eradicated, given its recurrence across history.

In seeking to understand its causes, some scholars point to a combination of factors, including social resentment directed toward perceived success in various fields, as well as the persistence of negative theological and cultural narratives within certain historical traditions outside Judaism.

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