As progressive movements reshape political discourse, criticism of Israel has increasingly blurred into hostility toward Jewish identity, revealing how anti-Semitic ideas have been reframed through the language of social justice and human rights.

Emergence of a New Threat

Over the past several years, and especially since October 2023, a new form of antisemitism has taken root in Western political and cultural life, presenting itself through the language of social justice, liberation, and human rights. This rebranded hostility, often disguised as progressive or anti-imperialist advocacy, has found legitimacy within parts of the political left, where criticism of Israel frequently blurs into the demonization of Jewish identity itself.  

This shift reflects a wider global trend of polarization, marked by the simultaneous rise of far-right nationalist and far-left progressive movements. While these dynamics first became prominent in parts of Europe, they have now firmly emerged in the U.S. Such changes have helped pave the way for the political success of figures like Zohran Mamdani.

Global and U.S. Political Context 

Across Europe, far-right and nationalist parties have built support by opposing immigration and cultural diversity, emphasizing national sovereignty over EU integration, and criticizing “woke” politics. Much of this reaction followed the 2015 refugee crisis,…