Reports of anti-Semitic acts targeting Jews or Jewish institutions have been rare, but three incidents stood out in 2009.

On January 11 in Barcelona, the windows of the Chabad House were broken and "assassins" was spray-painted on the building. Clearly, the Jewish community was being held responsible for Israeli actions.

Also in Barcelona, a violent attack occurred on January 30, when a man with a baseball bat repeatedly struck the nameplate of the Sinagoga Mayor, a medieval synagogue in the old city. When an employee of the association that maintains the synagogue approached the man, he was hit in the arm and head. Passersby alerted the police, and the attacker was arrested. The employee required hospitalization for a fractured arm and head contusions.

On May 5 in Madrid, Israel's ambassador to Spain, Raphael Schutz, was harassed on a street by three men, who shouted "dirty Jew," "Jew bastard," and "Jewish dog." Amb. Schutz was recognizable from his frequent Spanish television appearances during Operation Cast Lead.