Israeli diplomatic missions, Jewish communities on high alert ahead of Oct 7 anniversary

Israeli diplomatic missions and Jewish communities around the world are facing heightened security concerns ahead of the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, with 262 pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel events scheduled across 37 countries, according to a new report from Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism.

The ministry’s National Situation Room identified 87 of the events as posing a medium or high level of risk and warned that 45 are scheduled to take place near Israeli diplomatic facilities or other properties associated with Israel. The United States, Spain, Australia, the United Kingdom and Italy have the largest number of planned events.

The United States has 45 scheduled events, followed by Spain with 40, Australia with 21, the UK with 19 and Italy with 16. Germany and Canada each have 14 events, while France has 10 and the Netherlands has eight.

The events are scheduled between Oct. 1-14, with 121 planned for Oct. 10 and Oct. 11. Another 75 events are scheduled for Oct. 7 alone.

Travel security experts consulted by ALL ISRAEL NEWS said recent riots and demonstrations in France and Spain could make some of the scheduled events difficult to distinguish from the generally chaotic situation in cities across the two countries over the coming days.

The experts advised Israeli travelers to remain vigilant and, in Spain in particular, to avoid travel unless there is an urgent need to go.

According to a statement by the ministry, “The 'high-risk' focal points are distributed across many countries,” with Canada having four events classified as high risk. Two high-risk events have been identified in each of Greece, Italy, the U.S. and Australia.

High-risk events have also been flagged in cities including Barcelona, Bogota, Paris, Istanbul, Bangkok, Santiago, London, Berlin and Amsterdam.

The ministry said the events are being concentrated around the Oct. 7 anniversary in order to maximize media coverage and participation.

The ministry’s report warned that 45 of the scheduled events are expected to take place near an Israeli diplomatic facility or other property identified with Israel.

These include a demonstration scheduled to take place at Dam Square in Amsterdam; an event in Helsinki, about 300 meters (985 feet) from the Israeli embassy; a high-risk event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, about 350 meters (1,150 feet) from the Israeli embassy; and an event in Frankfurt, about 370 meters (1,214 feet) from a hotel used by Israeli visitors.

Two additional high-risk events in Italy are expected in Milan, about 700 meters (2,297 feet) from an Israeli property, and in Rome, about 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) from an Israeli property.

The security concerns come as Israelis and Jewish travelers prepare to navigate an increasingly tense environment in parts of Europe and elsewhere.

Alon K., a Jerusalem resident who recently vacationed in Italy with his wife, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that they noticed tensions during a previous trip.

“Last year we were in the Piedmont region when Italian flotilla members headed to Gaza were arrested in Israel, which caused massive protests in the region,” he said.

During the trip, Alon said he witnessed two protests in Alba and Turin.

“I saw two big protests – probably around 200-300 people in Alba and Turin – which made me feel like I'm in a hostile place, but nothing happened; most protesters were peaceful,” he said.

However, he said graffiti targeting Israelis and Zionists appeared after the demonstrations.

“The problem was that after the protests, graffiti saying 'Zionists not welcome,' etc., emerged on the walls,” he said. “That made us feel kinda scared and unsafe, reminded us of darker times in history.”

Despite those experiences, Alon said his more recent trip to Sicily was markedly different, with fewer Palestinian flags and almost no related graffiti. A local coffee shop owner even told him that he missed Israeli tourists.

“I wouldn't say that I'm concerned for people traveling to Italy or that they should worry about going there at this time,” Alon said. “Being vigilant is important, though, in a time when this topic is bubbling, and there are protests.”