Former minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer and World Jewish Congress Israel President Sylvan Adams called for Israel to utilize its intelligence, cyber, and strategic capabilities to defend itself and the Jewish people from rising antisemitism during an event in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Dermer and Adams emphasized that Israel has emphasized its strength through military achievements against Iran and regional enemies, arguing that the same capabilities should be used to fight a war against global antisemitism.
“This is a global war. It is a war being fought without bullets, but it is a war, and we do need to wake up and treat it as such, and deploy our formidable resources in fighting this war, and at the same time show solidarity with Jews in the diaspora,” Adams said.
“This is a threat to all Jews’ existence, including the State of Israel. Worldwide antisemitism is not organic. It is well funded, extremely well funded. It is also a threat to the State of Israel.”
Israel gives Jewish people the power to fight antisemitism
“Israel is not the cause or the cure for antisemitism. Israel just gave the Jewish people the power to fight back,” Dermer added, calling for Israel to bring state capabilities directly into the fight.
“Just like there is a war room in Israel dealing with Iran and dealing with Lebanon and dealing with Syria and dealing with Gaza, there has to be a war room that is focused on the war against the Jews,” Dermer continued.
“When Israel was established in 1948, we were five percent of the world’s Jews. We’re closing in on 50 percent of the world’s Jews. With that power comes a responsibility, and we have to be in this fight.”
Dermer called on Jewish organizations to respond more forcefully to antisemitism and to be willing to fight even when success is not guaranteed.
“The enemies of the Jews have to understand if you go after us, there’s going to be a price,” Dermer said. “We’re going to lose battles. But in fighting those battles, we will restore deterrence.”
Adams added that Israel now has both the strength and the responsibility to act.
“We do need to wake up and treat it as a war,” he said, “and deploy our formidable resources in fighting this war.”