College campuses across the U.S. reported at least 350 anti-Semitic or anti-Israel incidents over the course of the 2021-2022 academic year, events that have had a detrimental effect on Jewish students and represent a rising tide of hostility toward Zionists.
This was reported by the Anti-Defamation League ‒ADL, for its acronym in English‒, an anti-hate organization founded in 1913 whose mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to ensure justice and fair treatment for all,” in a report issued a few days ago where it was noted that, for decades, a small but vocal segment of student and teacher groups in the US has adopted anti-Israel and anti-Zionist views.
The report, which it says is more of a snapshot of what is happening on campus than a scientific text, says that these attacks, in some cases, were directly against the Jewish state, while in others Jewish students were intimidated and isolated for their alleged political opinions.
"The anti-Semitic hate directed at pro-Israel students is deeply disturbing," Jonathan Greenblatt, executive director of the ADL, said in a statement.
There were 359 instances of anti-Israel sentiment during the 2021-2022 academic year, according to the ADL’s annual campus report, which was released Wednesday. According to the organization, the study was neither comprehensive nor scientific because it only covered “extreme” forms of action and not the “usual” criticism of Israel on campuses.
The study found that many of the incidents had “antisemitic intent or impact.” A more hostile atmosphere on campuses for Jewish students may be the result of “other incidents,” some of which may not be antisemitic in and of themselves.
The report noted an alleged growing pressure to make anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism “central parts of campus life or as a prerequisite for full inclusion in the university community.”
Most of the hundreds of incidents were protests or other actions directed against Israel and the Jewish people, there were also 20 resolutions in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and 19 cases of targeted harassment. The investigation found that students were increasingly isolated for their Zionist beliefs, increasingly advocating violent resistance to Israel, and increasingly adopting anti-Semitic stereotypes and language.
The study says activists frequently use the phrases “Zionism” and “Zionist” to insult and mock Jewish students, while several of them have been banned from attending events of progressive campus groups for their support of Israel.
Jewish students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were attacked by a pro-Palestinian activist who threw a rock at them.
A Hillel building was spray-painted with the words “Fucking Genocidaires” and a banner was posted supporting the conspiracy belief that Israel was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. A Jewish student was subjected to verbal harassment, including the phrases “Zionism is inhumane” and “disgusting racist Zionist.”
They also reported claims that Jews control the media and use their wealth to “spread Islamophobia” and “maintain their control” of the government, among other anti-Semitic stereotypes and tropes.
The ADL gathered data for the report by scouring social media, following anti-Israel groups online, reading campus newspapers and other media outlets, consulting with other organizations and hearing directly from victims of abuse.
In recent weeks, during the Jewish holidays, there has been a surge in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic acts on US college campuses, notably at a Hillel facility on the campus of George Washington University, Ithaca College, the University of North Florida, American University and California State University in Sacramento.
Following reports of widespread harassment of Jewish students and a sustained pressure campaign by Jewish groups, New York City's public university system pledged late last month to combat anti-Semitism on campus.
One-third of Jewish students, according to a survey conducted by Hillel and the ADL last year, had experienced anti-Semitism on campus, most commonly in the form of verbal harassment both in person and online, as well as physical attacks on Jewish students and their property.
The University of Vermont, the State University of New York at New Paltz, the University of Southern California and Brooklyn College are under federal investigation for anti-Semitism.
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