This resolution urges college and university leaders, administrators, and faculty to express their opposition to antisemitism inside the campus.
This resolution urges college and university leaders, administrators, and faculty to express their opposition to antisemitism inside the campus.
The US Senate has passed a bipartisan resolution, led by senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), that denounces antisemitism at institutions of higher education.
This unanimously-voted resolution urges college and university leaders, administrators, and faculty to express their opposition to antisemitism on campus. It also highlighted the importance of addressing and combating antisemitism in educational settings, as Rosen expressed concerns over the “recent antisemitic incidents” in college campuses across the US.
The White House has recently criticized what it calls “grotesque” and “antisemitic” actions by some students who have been protesting against Israel on American college campuses since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
The criticism reflects concerns about antisemitism and its impact on campus environments, as well as the broader issue of free speech and expression in educational institutions.
The White House’s statement underscores the need to address these complex issues and promote respectful dialogue and understanding on college campuses.
“After the horrific atrocities committed by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, we witnessed a wave of antisemitism on college campuses by anti-Israel groups praising Hamas’ mass murder of Jews,” said Blackburn.
“Let me be clear. This kind of hatred has no place in America,” added Blackburn.
Tensions persist on college campuses following a recent confrontation between Jewish students and participants in a pro-Palestinian rally at Cooper Union, raising safety concerns amid ongoing conflicts related to the Israel-Hamas war.
Jewish leaders and students assembled at the Manhattan campus on October 26 to express their dissatisfaction with the college’s response to the incident. According to advocates, a group of Jewish students in the campus library felt threatened as protestors shouted pro-Palestine messages and seemed determined to enter the library room.
The incident at Cooper Union represents the most recent illustration of tensions between students and faculty at college campuses. With protests erupting throughout the country due to the Middle East conflict, concerns about campus safety have been on the rise.
“These protests start as peaceful protests, but what ends up happening is more times than not, they end up as violent protests,” said David Greenfield, a Brooklyn College adjunct law professor and CEO and executive director of the Met Council.
A recent survey conducted by Jewish on Campus has revealed concerning trends in antisemitic incidents among college students in the United States.
The survey found that nearly 60 percent of Jewish students at US colleges have either experienced or witnessed antisemitism. About 44 percent reported encountering antisemitism in the broader community, and 29 percent reported similar incidents within their colleges or universities.
