NEW YORK CITY — Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion warned that antisemitism is surging globally and urged Jewish communities abroad to consider Israel as their ultimate safe haven during a speech at The Jerusalem Post's annual conference in New York City on June 1, 2026. He described the rise in anti-Jewish violence as a worldwide crisis demanding urgent response.
"Antisemitism is no longer hiding in the shadows. It is out in the open. It is loud. It is violent. And it is spreading across the world like a plague," Lion said. He cited recent attacks against Jewish communities in New York, London, Belgium, Amsterdam, Sydney, and other cities as evidence of the escalating threat.
Lion emphasized Israel’s role as the only nation where Jews can exercise full self-determination and self-defense. "There is only one place in the world where the Jewish people truly control their own destiny. Only one place where Jews can defend themselves by themselves. And that place is the State of Israel," he said.
In a call to action, Lion told diaspora Jews that the time may have come to activate long-held contingency plans. "Many Jews always had an emergency plan. A red button to hit. For more and more Jews, the time has come to smash the glass and pull the emergency lever," he said.
Lion also reflected on the historic role of The Jerusalem Post as a lifeline between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. "For decades, The Jerusalem Post was the newspaper Jews around the world would read to check if the people of Israel were safe. Today, sadly, it is the paper many Israelis read to check if you are safe," he said.
No independent assessment of Moshe Lion’s claims was available.