'Hitler was right': New Zealand Jews experiencing unprecedented rate of antisemitism

The report found that the number of antisemitic incidents is 11.6x higher than the almost-decade preceding October 7, 2023. 

By MATHILDA HELLER NOVEMBER 28, 2024 12:22

Shirt of a Jewish student in New Zealand sprawled with antisemitic graffiti. (photo credit: New Zealand Jewish Council)

New Zealand Jews are disproportionately targeted in terms of hate crimes compared to other ethnic groups, despite only comprising 0.2% of the population, the New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC) revealed in a new report shared with the Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

In Auckland, 13% of all reported hate crimes were against Jews, and in Tasman and Wellington, 10%. This means that a New Zealand Jew is 18 times more likely to be a victim of a hate crime than a Maori, 5 times more than an Asian Kiwi, and 160 times more likely than a European Kiwi. The number and severity of reported antisemitic incidents are the highest in the country's history.

The report also found that the number of incidents is 11.6x higher than the decade preceding October 7, 2023. Put into context, from January 1, 2014, until July 1, 2022, there were a total of 166 recorded antisemitic incidents in New Zealand. In the year following 7 October 2023, there were a total of 227 incidents recorded. This equates to a new average baseline of 9.7 reported antisemitic incidents per month in New Zealand. 

Another shocking finding was that two out of five (40%) of reported antisemitic assaults occurred in schools.

Antisemitic incidents in New Zealand recorded from 01 Jan 2014 to 7 Oct 2024, coloured by type of incident, by year. (credit: New Zealand Jewish Council)

NZJC also reported an unprecedented number of threats against Jews, including death threats and threatening messages left on personal phones, as well as 20 reports of willful damage against Jewish facilities. This includes two acts of arson and antisemitic vandalism/damage to private houses and one incident of lit Molotov cocktails being thrown at a Jewish business.

Assaults and threats

There have been five antisemitic assaults reported in the year since 7 October 2023, as to two in the 8.5 years prior. 

The NZJC lists the five incidents: a man holding an Israeli flag at an anti-Israel protest in Auckland was punched; a Jewish high school student was given a Heil Hitler salute and punched in the face; a small group of Jews putting up posters of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas were egged in Christchurch; a Jewish intermediate school student was pushed to the ground and had “Free Palestine” yelled in his face while his eyes were covered from behind (he was later was punched in the head and told that he could not wear his kippah at school); and a Jewish woman was assaulted by anti-Israel protesters yelling “Free Palestine”. 

40 threats were recorded.

70% of these were bomb threats to Jewish institutions during November and December 2023. 

Among the remaining 12 threats were incidents such as Jews being told "I'm going to f***ing kill you" or "gas the Jews."

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There was also one report of an email being sent to a Jewish person naming their family members and evidencing attempts to find their home address.

In terms of willful damage, aside from the Molotov cocktail, there were several reports of graffiti on Jewish institutions or private residences, the attempted arson of a Jewish community center, and the shooting of fireworks through the window of a private house.

There was also one report of an email being sent to a Jewish person naming their family members and evidencing attempts to find their home address.

162 incidents of abusive behavior were recorded, as to 139 in the 8.5 years prior. These include incidents such as a Jewish student’s shirt being graffitied by classmates while he was at the gym with "approximately 12 distinct antisemitic references and close to 10 different styles of handwriting."

"The graffiti included swastikas, “belongs in a chamber”, “owner of Hollywood”, and “I hate Jews!!!”"

Some Jewish students were told "I wish Hitler finished what he started" or "Hitler was right."

Both Jewish academics and the President of the NZJC suffered doxxing on social media, and a Jewish musician had a performance canceled on the grounds that the organizers wanted to be "advocates for a ceasefire and liberation of Palestine."

Perpetrators

The majority of the perpetrators of antisemitic hate crimes were Māori (49%) or European (46%).

The report noted a particular concern with "the glorification of Hamas by some radical Māori." 

For example, Te Pāti Māori put out a press release condemning Israel, adding that “We must acknowledge the atrocity of colonization and the intergenerational trauma and extremism it produces. We must continue to fight for peace and justice for all indigenous peoples who continue to suffer from violent colonization and imperialism.”

NZJC criticized the lack of condemnation of particular incidents or lamentations about the unprecedented wave of antisemitism in New Zealand.

However, NZJC did congratulate New Zealand's decision to proscribe Hamas as a terrorist organization in February 2024 but did note that the state is an outlier in having not done the same for the IRGC or PFLP.

NZJC's recommendations

The NZJC made the following recommendations to help reduce and combat antisemitism in New Zealand.

Firstly, that the New Zealand Government increase funding support to the New Zealand Jewish Community for physical security enhancements.

Secondly, that the New Zealand Police updates its Risk and Threat Situation for the Jewish Community in New Zealand, and that the Police increase its visible presence at Jewish events.

That members of Parliament and Government agencies learn about antisemitism and call it out when it arises.

That the New Zealand Government ceases funding UNRWA, and proscribe the IRGC and the PFLP as terrorist entities in their entirety.

And finally that the New Zealand Government appoint a Special Envoy to combat antisemitism in New Zealand.

A Te Kahui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission spokesperson told the New Zealand Herald they were concerned by the report's findings.

“The commission condemns all forms of antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism," it said. "We all want to live peacefully and go about our daily lives without fear for our well-being and safety or for that of our loved ones.

New Zealand Jewish Council spokeswoman Juliet Moses said that acts of antisemitism "would rightly never be justified or tolerated against any other minority under the guise of opposition to overseas events."

“We call on the Government to provide an emphatic message clearly condemning these sorts of actions.