Barcelona – The majority of the Jewish community in Catalonia links the increase in antisemitic incidents to the unilateral break in relations between Barcelona City Council and the city of Tel Aviv and the state of Israel. According to Catalunya Ràdio, between January and February there were a dozen antisemitic incidents, which is almost half of all those in 2022.
The majority of the Jewish community in Catalonia links the increase in antisemitic incidents to the unilateral break in relations between Barcelona City Council and the city of Tel Aviv and the state of Israel.
However, some voices support the mayor, Ada Colau, and deny that they are under threat.
It is estimated that there are between 5,000 and 10,000 Jews in Catalonia. Of these, only around 1,500 are attached to one of the five existing communities, the majority in Barcelona. The largest community is the Israeli Community of Barcelona, with around 500 families.
Isaac Levi, member of the CIB and president of the International League against Racism and Antisemitism in Barcelona, links the mayor’s decision to the increase in incidents.
“We are always on permanent alert. What is true is that we see a danger with the unilateral decision that Mayor Ada Colau has taken with the issue of Tel Aviv. Some people insist on the fact that Israel practices apartheid and many associate Israel with the Jews, which is a mistake. I’m not saying fear, but we do have respect for what might happen.”
In 2022, the five Jewish communities reported 26 incidents in Barcelona, most of them threatening graffiti near synagogues and the Jewish schools.
