Antisemitic incidents in Spain increased by 86% in 2025, reaching their highest recorded level as the country also experienced the largest overall number of hate crimes since national records began, reports The Jerusalem Post.
According to a report released by Spain’s Interior Ministry, 69 antisemitic hate crimes and incidents were recorded in 2025, compared with 37 cases in 2024. The ministry defines antisemitism as acts of hatred, violence, or discrimination directed against Jews or citizens of the State of Israel.
The report found that Spain recorded a total of 2,417 hate incidents in 2025, the highest annual figure since the government began collecting such data in 2014. Spain’s Jewish community numbers approximately 70,000 people, according to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain.
Antisemitic incidents were not the only category to increase. The number of Islamophobic offences also rose significantly, from 15 incidents in 2024 to 35 in 2025.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska highlighted the broader increase in hate crimes and warned about the dangers of xenophobic rhetoric and policies. The largest category of hate offences recorded by the ministry involved racism and xenophobia, with 934 incidents reported.
Grande-Marlaska criticised political discourse that he said contributes to hostility against minority communities, arguing that discriminatory rhetoric can normalise hatred within society.
The report was released amid ongoing debates over immigration and national identity in Spain. The right-wing political party Vox has promoted a “national priority” approach that would favour Spanish citizens over non-citizens in access to certain public benefits, including subsidised housing and healthcare.
The party has incorporated these proposals into regional coalition agreements with the conservative People’s Party in regions including Extremadura, Aragón, and Castile and León.
The report also comes against the background of Spain’s changing relationship with Israel. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has become one of Europe’s strongest critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Spain imposed a complete arms embargo on Israel in 2025 and permanently withdrew its ambassador following a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.
Despite its anti-immigration positions, Vox has maintained strong support for Israel and has developed close ties with the Israeli government. Party leader Santiago Abascal visited Israel in 2024 to express support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Spain recognised a Palestinian state.
The sharp increase in antisemitic incidents reflects a wider rise in hostility towards minority groups in Spain and adds to concerns across Europe over the growth of antisemitism and other forms of hate crime in recent years.
Photo credit: Olmo Blanco/Getty Images
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