October 23, 2025
The leaders of the Jewish communities of Ibero-America, gathered in Madrid during the Strategic Forum of the Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs of the American Jewish Committee, under the auspices of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, express our deep concern over the unprecedented rise in antisemitism in some of our countries since October 7, 2023. This surge has been accompanied by inflammatory rhetoric, incitement, the stigmatization of the State of Israel, and the dangerous use of collective responsibility.
While we recognize and applaud that all our countries have made significant gestures of rapprochement, friendship, and reconciliation with the Jewish people over the decades, we call for additional efforts to address the serious current challenges that threaten to undermine those hard-earned achievements.
We appreciate that Spain, the host country of this gathering, has a National Plan against Antisemitism and is a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), demonstrating an institutional commitment to combating hatred and intolerance. However, we also recognize that in the past two years there has been a proliferation of deeply stigmatizing discourse toward Israel, which has led to a significant increase in antisemitism in the country. This climate of hostility has not originated from a single sector but has spread across all areas—political, cultural, educational, sports, and social—reviving ancient prejudices and creating an atmosphere of targeting and fear among Jewish citizens.
Measures to combat this scourge must include improving hate crime reporting systems, incorporating educational content that challenges antisemitic stereotypes—including the stigmatization and delegitimization of Israel—training law enforcement, and strengthening resources dedicated to community protection. It is also essential to distinguish between legitimate political criticism and incitement to hatred, and to remember that when Israel is dehumanized or Jews are judged by the actions of a state, a dangerous line is crossed—one that undermines the democratic and coexistence values that the Spanish state upholds.
We also value the fact that many Ibero-American countries support the Peace Plan presented by the United States, with the backing of Arab nations and much of the international community—offering, for the first time since the beginning of the conflict, a realistic future horizon for the Palestinian people. We call for expressions of collective mourning for all civilian lives lost as a result of Hamas’s terrorist attacks and the ensuing violence, while reaffirming support for Israel’s right to defend its population and to establish future conditions that allow it to live in peace and security; for the continued demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the remains of deceased hostages still held in Gaza; and for the ongoing humanitarian access to the population of the Strip.
Our countries have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to democratic values, human rights, and the fight against all forms of discrimination. Protecting Jewish communities and, at the same time, constructively reorienting diplomatic relations with the State of Israel—whose population, in its great majority, shares the same democratic and human rights values—must therefore be urgent priority.
Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina
Argentina
Federação Israelita do Estado de São Paulo
Brazil
Comunidad Judía de Chile
Chile
Confederación de Comunidades Judías de Colombia
Colombia
Centro Israelita Sionista de Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Centro Israelita de la República Dominicana
Dominican Republic
Comunidad Judía Guatemala
Guatemala
Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México
Mexico
Congreso Judío Panameño
Consejo Central Comunitario Hebreo de Panamá
Panama
Comunidad Judía del Paraguay
Paraguay
Comunidad Judia del Peru
Peru
Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa
Portugal
Federación de Comunidades Judías de España
Spain
American Jewish Committee
United States
Comité Central Israelita del Uruguay
Uruguay
