Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Israel to launch strategy to proactively fight antisemitism

“We as a country have a responsibility to fight for the good name of our people,” said Foreign Minister Israel Katz.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz (left) and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli meet in Jerusalem, Feb. 26, 2024. Credit: Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz (left) and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli meet in Jerusalem, Feb. 26, 2024. Credit: Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism are launching a joint strategy aimed at fighting Jew-hatred and the delegitimization of the Jewish state.

During a meeting on Monday, Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli agreed to promote the initiative, which seeks to strengthen the country’s international standing.

“We are in the midst of a war for our lives and we are on the side of justice. We as a country have a responsibility to fight for the good name of our people,” Katz said, according to a statement from his office.

“We aim to work hard in cooperation with the amazing people who have been fighting for Israel since Oct. 7,” he added.

Chikli said the time has come to “move from defense to offense and ensure that the perpetrators of antisemitism are identified and dealt with.”

As part of the proposal, Katz and Chikli agreed on rolling out offensive actions against organizations and individuals accused of perpetrating antisemitism, as well as campaigns that seek to improve Israel’s image.

The ministers also decided to increase government support for civil society groups that fight antisemitism, the statement said.

In the first three weeks after Hamas launched its terror onslaught on the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, murdering some 1,200 people, the Israeli government recorded a 500% surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide, compared to the same period in 2022.

The overhaul reduces faith categories and removes visible officer rank for chaplains.
Daniel S. Mariaschin, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, told JNS that “the people behind this entry are nothing more than depraved apologists for terrorism.”
The effort is aimed at “ensuring that the nation’s capacity to build and deploy this vital defensive weapon will outpace any adversary’s threat,” the U.S. Defense Department stated.
Israel’s wartime restrictions on the country’s airspace are tentatively in place through April 16.
“To impose such a requirement selectively on Jewish and pro-Israel students raises serious concerns about unequal treatment and viewpoint discrimination,” Students Supporting Israel stated.
The brand told JNS that it will be “evaluating packaging differentiation and working with our retail partners to ensure clearer in-store separation and signage where needed.”