Antisemites believe and share misinformation that the Jewish people, a small minority (~0.2% of the global population), are on a quest for world domination and already control the banks, the media, the entertainment industry, and the government – sometimes, even the weather. This conspiracy theory has gained alarming traction in recent years, with 39% of antisemitic content online now incorporating “Jewish power” narratives – a figure that has doubled since 2022.
Ideas and fears of Jewish power were codified in the early 20th century in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an elaborate forgery prepared by the Russian police. The Protocols are purported to be leaked minutes from secret meetings of Jewish leaders who were conspiring to take over the world. Despite being conclusively debunked over a century ago, this document continues to influence contemporary antisemitism and is explicitly referenced in the manifestos of several recent perpetrators of antisemitic violence.
Today, in many parts of the world, The Protocols remains widely read and accepted as fact. Language from The Protocols still creeps into the modern lexicon – in tweets, social media posts, newspapers and out of the mouths of public figures and elected officials. The IHRA working definition of antisemitism specifically identifies “making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective” as a form of antisemitism. These antisemites often position themselves as truth-tellers, whose mission it is to unmask a supposed Jewish plot to take over the world.
This trope has proven particularly resilient because it mutates to fit contemporary concerns – from traditional accusations of controlling banks to modern claims about media, technology, and global health initiatives. When Jews are blamed for everything from economic downturns to natural disasters, it’s a clear indicator that the ancient “Jewish power” conspiracy theory is at work.
Sources
[1] Anti-Defamation League, “Online Antisemitism Report,” 2024.
[2] Institute for Strategic Dialogue, “Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories in Extremist Violence,” 2024.
[3] International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, “Working Definition of Antisemitism,” adopted by 38 countries as of 2025.
[4] UNESCO, “Education about Contemporary Antisemitism,” 2024.