Spain reports 86% rise in antisemitic incidents, as interior minister takes aim at ‘xenophobia’

Antisemitic incidents in Spain surged by 86% last year, contributing to the highest number of recorded hate incidents nationwide since 2014, according to a report from the Spanish Interior Ministry. In 2025, Jews were targeted in 69 hate crimes and incidents, a significant rise from the 37 recorded in 2024. The report also noted an increase in Islamophobic attacks, which rose from 15 to 35 incidents during the same period.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska highlighted the alarming trend, stating that his office documented a total of 2,417 hate incidents in 2025. Spain is home to approximately 70,000 Jews. The ministry defines antisemitism broadly, encompassing any act of hatred, violence, or discrimination directed against Jews or "nationals of the State of Israel."

Grande-Marlaska directly addressed the factors fueling this rise, attributing it in part to rhetoric and policies from "public officials" that he believes inflamed xenophobic sentiment. His remarks come as Spain's far-right, anti-immigration Vox party advocates for a "national priority" policy. This policy favors Spaniards over others in accessing public aid and benefits, such as subsidized housing and healthcare. Vox has recently secured agreements with the conservative People's Party to incorporate this clause into coalition agreements in several regions.

"The national priority is xenophobia," Grande-Marlaska declared. "It is institutionalized xenophobia, protected and promoted by public officials who legitimize and amplify hate speech that, in the past, would have been condemned when it entered the public sphere." The Vox party maintains strong support for Israel, despite a history that includes neo-Nazis within its ranks. Vox leader Santiago Abascal visited Israel in 2024 to express solidarity with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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The national priority is xenophobia. It is institutionalized xenophobia, protected and promoted by public officials who legitimize and amplify hate speech that, in the past, would have been condemned when it entered the public sphere.