Former US antisemitism tsar Deborah Lipstadt has condemned the United Nations (UN) for “greatly failing the Jewish people as an institution”, speaking exclusively to the JC.
The distinguished American scholar also spoke of the danger posed by an “alliance of convenience” formed in recent years between far-left Marxist and Green groups and Islamist extremists.
Asked about concerns that institutions created after the Second World War have lost their way and even becoming a platform for antisemitism, Lipstadt said: “The UN, as an institution, has greatly failed the Jewish people.”
She was speaking following repeated criticism of its conduct towards Israel, particularly since October 7.
Many observers believe the UN has shown enormous institutional bias against the Jewish state.
Some point to its refusal to accept the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
The continued funding of Palestinian refugee organisation UNRWA despite some staff members having taken part in the October 7 massacre has caused huge shock and concern.
The historian said: “I think what we forget is that the UN is composed of nations.
“There are a whole lot more nations that are hostile to Jews, to Jewish issues, to antisemitism and to Zionism than there are nations that are positive.”
Lipstadt, 79, said she believes an ideological element fuels the bias against Israel.
She said: “There’s a very strong leftist orientation within the UN – one that is exceptionally critical of establishment groups.”
Lipstadt – who won a landmark libel trial in 2000 after she exposed author David Irving’s distortions of Holocaust history – was speaking while attending the Contemporary Antisemitism 2026 annual academic conference in Haifa, Israel.
She went on to explain how she believed there was an increasing opportunistic convergence between extremist groups from different ends of the political spectrum, with a consequent impact on the Jewish community and Israel.
Lipstadt said: “I no longer talk about combating antisemitism. I talk about countering antisemitism because I think it’s like a virus. It’s a shape-shifter. It shifts and fills whatever void it needs.
“That’s one of the reasons why you have this weird ‘red-green alliance’, where you have leftist progressive Marxist groups and Islamist Jihadist groups converging despite the fact that they don’t agree on feminism.
“They don’t agree on taxation. They don’t agree on capitalism. They don’t agree on homosexuality.
“But on this, they agree.”
According to the former US special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism, hatred of Israel has become the “glue “ – the central unifying force holding these disparate groups together.
“It’s not just that they agree on this,” said Lipstadt.
“I think antisemitism is the oil for anti-establishment movements.
“All three groups – far right, far left, and Islamists – want radical change.
“The Islamists want to ultimately see a caliphate, or governments operation on sharia law.
“Progressives feel we’re all victims of oligarchs and money interests. They want to create a socialist and, in some cases, Marxist government.
“The far right believes we’re all victims of liberal elites, who must be denied power.
“What holds this alliance of convenience together, in which antisemitism become the glue or the unifying fire?
“On this issue they’re all together – anti-Israel and antizionist.”
But despite this bleak political analysis, Lipstadt also spoke of her belief that the tide of hate can be turned around, saying: “I don’t think it’s a lost cause. If I thought it was a lost cause, I wouldn’t be doing it.
“The message has to be transmitted that this is not solely a danger to Jews.
“This is also a threat to democracy because, if you buy into the conspiracy myth – which is the cornerstone of antisemitism – you begin to believe that the Jews control everything.
“You lose faith in democracy.”
Lipstadt drew upon events in recent years in western countries from Australia to Britain to illustrate how growing and unchallenged antisemitism in tandem with extremism was undermining the fundamental workings of pivotal societal institutions.
“If you’re a Jew who goes to watch a pro-Hamas or pro-Palestine march on Piccadilly, the Sydney Opera House, or wherever the marches are, and the police tell you to leave because they can’t protect you, then what faith do you have in the police?
“What faith do you have in the very body that is enforcing the law?
“You lose faith in democracy.
“So it’s an attack on democracy, on the rule of law, and on democracy itself.”
Lipstadt said antisemitism can at least in part be traced back to foreign states, albeit with very different motivations from one to another.
“Jew-hatred is an attack on international stability because foreign actors use it to disrupt society,” she said.
“There’s ideological antisemitism, like we get from Iran, but there’s also utilitarian antisemitism.
“The Iranians are ideological antisemites. Look how much time, effort and money they spend trying to destroy Jews, kill Jews, stab Jews in Golders Green, or wherever it might be - in the US or in Canada.”
Lipstadt suggested the government of China is also complicit, as it seeks to undermine western society as a threat to the communist party’s interests.
She said: “The Chinese are utilitarian antisemites. They stir up the pot. If you spread enough of this stuff online, people begin to wonder, ‘What’s wrong with our society? What’s wrong with our institutions?’ It undermines confidence.”
Last year, the Contemporary Antisemitism conference met in London and next year it will be in Philadelphia. The three academic centres launched 'CASA' at Haifa - the Contemporary Antisemitism Studies Association - a new scholarly network that will support the study of antisemitism worldwide.
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.