Why Antisemitism Is a Test for Democracies Today
Recently, I was one of eighteen high school students across the United States selected to attend the American Jewish Committee’s Global Forum, the premier global Jewish advocacy gathering of the year, where thousands convene to be at the center of the most critical conversations in the Jewish world. Over several days, I joined diplomats, policymakers, and advocates in discussions on the state of the Middle East, US-Israel foreign relations, civic engagement, and the future of the Jewish people in America and beyond.
A major highlight was the opportunity to engage with prominent foreign officials, ranging from presidents to ministers of foreign affairs. Specifically, I attended a discussion between the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States, H.E. Jovita Neliupšienė, and Ambassador of Argentina to the United States, H.E. Alejandro Oxenford, on how diplomacy is advancing the fight against antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric.
Ambassador Neliupšienė opened by noting that she represents twenty-seven member states in the European Union united by the principles of human rights. She emphasized that there is no place for the incitement of violence or hate speech towards Jewish communities, including in discussions of the Holocaust in Europe. The Ambassador added that, even before October 7, the EU had adopted ninety actions, which all member states are responsible for upholding, highlighting a “whole society” approach to combat antisemitism.
Ambassador Oxenford was then asked what distinguishes countries’ commitment to combat antisemitism and their actions, to which he responded: “Execution.” The Ambassador used Argentina as an example, citing its large historic Jewish population and noting that President Javier Milei has taken a leading role in protecting the community. “We can make a huge difference if we move from rhetoric to action,” Ambassador Oxenford stated since Argentina uses global guidelines to move from principle to action.
Despite Argentina’s longstanding ties to the Jewish community, Ambassador Oxenford also acknowledged the history of attacks on Jewish institutions, specifically the AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, which killed 85 people. The Ambassador shared how when antisemitism rises and freedom declines, President Milei rallies for freedom because he views antisemitism as an attack on democracy itself and its institutions. “I may go as far as to say that antisemitism is a test on global democracies today,” the Ambassador added. This is all part of the strategic alliance that defines the policy of the Argentinian government between Israel and the United States.
When further asked how he assesses the global response to antisemitism, he said that he views it as positive progress because there is more awareness and dialogue surrounding the issue but there is still the worry with radicalization, citing the Iranian Regime as a key perpetrator of terrorism and propaganda. The Ambassador suggested that, regarding the role of alliances, more countries must adhere to and implement a more conclusive list of laws, including recognizing the Iranian Regime as a terror organization and banning all forms of antisemitic hate. Ambassador Neliupšienė agreed with this message and added how the President of the EU Commission stated that Iran was never supposed to possess any nuclear weapons. She also emphasized the need to build more international collaborations within the European Union to prevent the IRGC from doing so and to support European Jewry. Ambassador Neliupšienė talked about international Holocaust Remembrance as part of many international initiatives. However, there are still many countries that do not have Holocaust Remembrance curriculums or have ones that distort it.
Ambassador Oxenford closed his message by stating how antisemitism is an early warning that something is going wrong in democracy. He stated that diplomats must include antisemitism as a key priority and that President Milei made it a priority for foreign policy. Yet, not all governments or diplomats take these steps.
Finally, one message that stays with me is when Ambassador Oxenford noted that diplomacy sometimes is not clear and tries to act nice but demands clarity.
These are some of my main takeaways from the panel. Nations face a convergence of challenges requiring immediate and coordinated policy attention, including the rise of antisemitism, increasing instability in the Middle East, and evolving geopolitical threats, most notably from Iran. At the same time, opportunities exist to strengthen alliances and reinforce democratic values. Nations must transition from reactive responses to a coordinated, proactive strategy integrating domestic policy and foreign policy.
Iran remains the central destabilizing force. Nations must collaborate to prevent Iran from having missiles and developing their nuclear facilities. This is extremely dangerous and threatens the security of Israel and the region. Iran’s nuclear capabilities also pose a threat to the United States of America since Iran is aligned with North Korea, China, and Russia.
Preventing the emergence of future terrorist organizations remains an ongoing challenge. Education is a critical starting point, particularly addressing the indoctrination of youth in areas where anti-Israel and antisemitic narratives are prevalent. A lack of Holocaust education and awareness of modern antisemitism continues to hinder efforts to address the issues with combatting hate in diplomacy.