Italian Jews: Never Again Reported or Registered

We publish the text of the UCEI press release of last July 19th regarding the distribution of an online form (now removed) that invited the census of “Zionists”—that is, Israeli citizens or Jews—present in hotels, accommodation facilities, and commercial activities.

Italian Jews: Never Again Reported or Registered

Ottolenghi, immediate intervention is needed, civil society must not remain silent

Rome, July 19, 2026 – We are witnessing a quantum leap in anti-Semitism that cannot be underestimated. This time, with the online format, we have arrived at the new “yellow stars”: denouncing and cataloging alleged Zionist “colonies” in Italy, branding Jews, insinuating dark plans that are entirely nonexistent. It is the culture of conspiracy that takes us back to the times before the racist laws of 1938.
The Union of Italian Jewish Communities is aware of a thousand other incidents that in recent months have reproduced and attempted to further inoculate anti-Semitism in public opinion.
All this amidst the deafening silence of civil society, which, with a few sporadic exceptions, remains silent. It is a deliberate plan based on disinformation and propaganda that seeks to subjugate civil society to a vision of hatred and prejudice, literally branding Jews and Zionists as the outcasts of this age.
Out of respect for the Sabbath, the Union has not spoken out, but today it forcefully calls on the institutions—which have already done so much in these times of incitement to hatred—to intervene with even greater determination to prevent this outrage, which we believe has obvious aspects of illegality.
We are convinced that we will not go unheard, because democracy and the country’s peaceful coexistence are at stake. We have said it a thousand times and we have reiterated it with our support for the bill under discussion in the Chamber: anti-Semitism must be fought because it concerns not only Jews but civil society and democracy as a whole.