In fact, “intifada” means “uprising” in Arabic. It designates terrorism by Palestinians against Israeli sovereignty in the indigenous Jewish homeland. Today, those supporting this terrorism have broadened it—“globalized” it—to describe attacks worldwide on Jews specifically and Western institutions generally.

It seems to be working. In Amsterdam, just a few weeks ago, mobs of Muslim men hunted down and assaulted Jews as crowds cheered them on. Similar attacks took place days later in Antwerp, Belgium and Berlin, Germany. In Hanoi, Vietnam, a Jewish family was ejected by the owner, who yelled “Free Palestine” while giving them the middle finger.

If those examples seem too remote, consider these: In Los Angeles, a Jewish man was killed by a blow to the head by a pro-Hamas protester. In Oakland, a man wearing a star-of-David cap was ejected by a Muslim coffee shop owner for being Jewish. The home of the Jewish president of the University of Washington was attacked and spray-painted with pro-Palestinian messages threatening the president. In Chicago, a man walking to synagogue was shot in what police call a terror attack.

“Globalize the Intifada” means two things: 1) Attacking Jews simply because they are Jews and justifying it in the name of the Palestinian cause, and 2) attempting to destroy, not just Jews and Israel, but also the United States and Western civilization in general, because they represent an “empire” of oppression.

While the seemingly random antisemitic incidents above bespeak an alarming trend, perhaps most unnerving is a report by the Capital Research Center (CRC) that exposes an actual game plan to commit domestic terrorism.

The CRC report identifies some 150 pro-Hamas groups whose end goal is “dismantlement of America’s ‘colonialist,’ imperialist,’ or ‘capitalist,’ system, often calling for the U.S. to be abolished.” The movement to spark this revolution is led by an unholy alliance of Islamists, ultra-leftists, and white supremacists.

The immediate effects of a “globalized Intifada”? Making Jews afraid to express their Jewishness, refusing service to Jewish customers, attempting to silence Jewish and pro-Israel voices, and verbally and physically assaulting Jews. An even more ominous next step by the same revolutionaries will likely be violence against American and Western institutions.

Unfortunately, public officials, college administrators and the media often downplay crimes associated with globalizing the Intifada. Refusal to identify the perpetrators and hesitation to declare hate crimes and violent attacks—let alone terrorism—only hinder punishment and encourage continued lawlessness.

In short, preventing the globalization of the Intifada involves 1) Defeating the ideology associated with it, and 2) identifying and penalizing those who seek to “globalize the Intifada.”

“Globalize the Intifada!”—makes antisemitism skyrocket everywhere. In the U.S., according to the Anti-Defamation League, over 10,000 antisemitic incidents occurred between Oct. 7, 2023 and Sept. 24, 2024—a more than 200% spike compared to the same period before. Many of these incidents occurred on college campuses. In fact, StopAntisemitism’s 2024 College Report revealed a 3,000% increase in antisemitic incident reports compared to the previous year.

Antisemitism is also surging in other countries with large Jewish populations. France, for example, recorded a 1000% increase in antisemitic incidents between October 7, 2023 to December 31, 2023 compared to previous months. Attacks in France include the gang rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl by three Muslim boys who called her a “dirty Jew” and the abduction and rape of a 32-year-old Jewish woman by a man who wanted to “avenge Palestine.”

“Globalize the Intifada!”—makes Jews afraid to express their identity. In Europe, 76% of Jews reported hiding their Jewishness “at least occasionally” for fear of antisemitism. In the U.S., one third of Jewish college students reported hiding their Jewish identity on campus.

“Globalize the Intifada!”—means refusal to render services to Jews. In Australia, a pro-Palestine employee at an office and stationary supplies store refused to serve a Jewish customer. In Paris, France, an Israeli family was kicked out of a hotel after staff saw their Israeli passports. In Lakewood, NJ, two Jewish men were refused service by a gas station owner who cursed their Jewishness.

“Globalize the Intifada!”—means the silencing of Jewish, pro-Israel voices. Columbia University professor Shai Davidai, who criticized his university’s failure to act against antisemitism, was banned from campus for doing so. Outspoken Canadian-Jewish human rights activist Irwin Cotler was recently the target of a foiled assassination plot by Iran.

A coalition of unlikely bedfellows leads the charge to “globalize the Intifada.” According to the CRC report, this coalition consists of Islamists, communists, anarchists and groups espousing white supremacist/nationalist ideologies. Elements of this coalition are “pushing it toward a wider, more severe campaign focused on property destruction and violence properly described as domestic terrorism.” No surprise that last week, a pro-Palestinian mob in Montreal, Canada rampaged through downtown, burning cars, smashing widows and assaulting a police officer.

Among the most prominent groups in this coalition is Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which has endorsed Iran’s attacks on Israel and its stated intention to overturn the U.S.-led world order. SJP has called on its followers to “Bring the Intifada Home.” Last month, an anti-Israel student group at Harvard University heeded this call, vandalizing a campus administrative building.

Globalized intifada’s domestic terrorism is often downplayed and goes unpunished. Indeed, the mayor of Amsterdam actually apologized for calling the Jew-hunt in her city a pogrom, because she didn’t want to offend the city’s Muslim Moroccan community. Chicago police waited nearly a week before declaring the shooting of a Jewish man by an illegal immigrant who shouted “Allahu Akhbar” a hate crime.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., many students who committed acts of violence and vandalism at colleges throughout the country are back on campus as if they did nothing wrong.

It’s time for a crackdown on “Globalize the Intifada.” Those who commit anti-Jewish hate crimes and violence in order to internationalize terrorism need to be identified and severely punished. In addition, their ideology must be fought at every social level, particularly in higher education.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that Jews are only the first target of the movement to “Globalize the Intifada.” Its ultimate goal is to destroy America and the values of Western civilization.

If you agree we need to spread this truth, please use your email browser to forward this Hotline issue to fellow lovers of Israel—and encourage them to join us by subscribing to the Hotline at no charge.

Best regards,

James Sinkinson, President
Jason Shvili, Contributing Editor
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.      Too often, American citizens take comfort in their insulation from Islamist violence roiling the Middle East, as well as cities in Europe. But the jihadists are clear that fighting Jews and Israel is just the beginning. At rallies in Iran—and increasingly in the U.S.—the crowds scream, “Death to Israel, Death to America.” They understand that Israel is just the tip of the spear of Western Civilization—because Israel was the birthplace of so many Western values. Today the Jewish state stands as one of the strongest democracies in the world—a defender of liberty and enemy of oppressive Middle East dictatorships and terrorism. I hope you’ll agree that we supporters of the Israel-U.S. relationship need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“Israel’s War Is America’s War”—describes how Israel massively defends United States interests in the Middle East and how Israel represents a roadblock to Islamic expansion worldwide. Finally, it explains why the recent U.S. foreign policy of soft diplomacy and appeasement of Iran has failed consistently. Please review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME intends to publish to millions—in leading social media, as well as in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Tampa Bay Times, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, the President and Vice President. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.As of today, more than 25,000 Israel supporters receive the FLAME Hotline at no charge every week. If you’re not yet a subscriber, won’t you join us in receiving these timely updates, so you can more effectively tell the truth about Israel? Just go to free subscription.