‘Zionist’ lists, tourist maps: Italy's Jews warn of widening threat of antisemitism

Italy's Jewish community is sounding the alarm over a growing wave of antisemitism, marked by increasingly aggressive campaigns and hostile incidents. Dalia Gubbay, vice president of the Jewish Community of Milan, described a deeply unsettling experience during the city's April 25 Liberation Day march. While past commemorations of the Jewish Brigade, which fought with Allied forces in WWII, had seen some tension, this year's event turned hostile. Demonstrators surrounded Jewish participants, shouted insults, and forced them to leave under police escort. Gubbay recounted one woman calling her a murderer, a stark contrast to the celebratory nature of the day.

Adding to the community's unease, an anonymous Google form recently circulated online, soliciting reports on Israeli tourists, Jewish visitors, businesses, and properties allegedly linked to "Zionist tourism" and "Zionist neo-colonization" in Italy. The questionnaire, which sought information nationwide, was distributed through social media and messaging groups connected to Milan. Although a pro-Palestinian activist network denied any involvement, the form was eventually removed following intervention by Italy's national coordinator for the fight against antisemitism.

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Milan is my city. I was born here, and my children were born here.

Jewish leaders view these events not as isolated incidents but as part of a broader pattern of escalating hostility. They point to a succession of troubling occurrences affecting Jewish students, tourists, businesses, and public commemorations. The anonymous online form, in particular, has raised concerns about the potential for organized targeting and surveillance of the Jewish community, highlighting a widening threat that extends beyond verbal harassment to organized data collection.

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I was born here, and my children were born here.