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‘Too Few Consequences’: ADL Tells US Colleges to Protect Jewish Students’ Civil Rights, Crack Down on Antisemitism
New York University students stage a protest in Washington Square Park in Manhattan to oppose Israel and call for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 25, 2023. Photo: Gordon Donovan/NurPhoto via Reuters Connect
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Thursday called out American colleges and universities in an open letter, reminding them of their obligation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment and intimidation.
“Shockingly, many students engaging in this activity — including harassment, intimidation, and other clear violations of student codes of conduct — have not faced consequences,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote.
“This is unacceptable. Full stop,” he continued. “Universities have by and large been derelict in their duty to protect Jewish communities on campus, in many cases raising serious concern under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Simply put, to date, there have been too few consequences — that must change.”
The letter came amid mounting pressure on college presidents to take a firm stance against extreme anti-Zionist and antisemitic rhetoric. In the past month, at least one president has been ousted from office for failing to do so. After telling a congressional committee that calling for a genocide of Jews would only constitute a violation of school rules in “context-dependent” circumstances, Elizabeth Magill of the University of Pennsylvania resigned after 17 months on the job.
US college campuses have experienced an alarming spike in antisemitic incidents — including demonstrations calling for Israel’s destruction and the intimidation and harassment of Jewish students — since Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel. Elite universities have been among the biggest hubs of such activity, with students and faculty both demonizing Israel and rationalizing the Hamas atrocities.
In Tuesday’s letter, the ADL noted that between Hamas’ Oct. 7 onslaught in Israel and Dec. 7, the Jewish civil rights organization “recorded the highest number of antisemitic incidents ever recorded during any two-month period” in over 40 years of tracking such data.
On college campuses alone, the ADL recorded 470 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7 and Dec. 18. During that same period, antisemitic incidents across the US skyrocketed by 323 percent compared to the prior year.
The Algemeiner has reported on numerous incidents that occurred in that span of time. At Harvard University, anti-Zionism escalated to antisemitic harassment when a mob of anti-Israel activists — including Ibrahim Bharmal, editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review whose alumni includes former US President Barack Obama — followed, surrounded, and intimidated a Jewish student on campus, according to videos that went viral across social media. “Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!” the crush of people screamed in a call-and-response chant into the ears of the student who —as seen in the footage — was forced to duck and dash the crowd to free himself from the cluster of bodies that encircled him.
At Cornell University, someone posted on a social media forum that is popular with students messages calling for the murder and rape of Jews. In addition to threatening the lives of Cornell’s 3,500 Jewish students, who comprise about 22 percent of the school’s student population, the posts called for an attack on a campus kosher dining hall — named 104West — affiliated with the Steven K. And Winifred A. Grinspoon Hillel Center, which forced campus officials to shutter the property.
The ADL further explained that Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters led the way in promoting a campus environment hostile to Jewish and pro-Israel voices, even suggesting that Israeli civilians deserved to be murdered for being “settlers.” Additionally, as scenes of Hamas terrorists abducting children and desecrating dead bodies circulated worldwide and invoked global outrage, SJP chapters at schools such as Brown University, the University of Maryland, Tufts University, and the University of California-Los Angeles described the attacks as a form of “resistance” and demanded that others accept “our right to liberate our homeland by any means necessary.”
Experts have told The Algemeiner that the situation on college campuses would improve if the Biden administration issued long promised regulations that apply the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism to civil rights investigations — a measure, they argue, would help protect Jewish students from antisemitic discrimination and harassment rooted in anti-Zionism.
The regulations, based on a directive given in Dec. 2019 by then-US President Donald Trump in response to rising anti-Zionist hatred on college campuses, were scheduled to be issued this month. However, they have been delayed and will not be instituted until at least Dec. 2024, after the next US presidential election, according to a copy of the proposed rule on the website of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
The IHRA definition of antisemitism — which has been adopted by dozens of governments and hundreds of civic institutions around the world — includes examples of anti-Israel bias, such as “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” “denying the Jewish people their right to self determination,” and “applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.”
Kenneth Marcus, a former assistant secretary for civil rights at the US Education Department, told The Algemeiner earlier this month that the new rules “should be the top priority for the Office for Civil Rights.”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
The post ‘Too Few Consequences’: ADL Tells US Colleges to Protect Jewish Students’ Civil Rights, Crack Down on Antisemitism first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Unveils ‘Gaza’ Drone With 1,000-km Range
The Gaza drone is seen in flight, armed with eight precision-guided Sadid-345 glide bombs. Photo: Screenshot
The Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on Sunday unveiled its new heavy-duty drone, named Gaza, during a “hybrid operation” on the sidelines of a massive military exercise in southern Iran, according to semi-official Iranian media.
With a range of 1,000 kilometers and a payload capacity of at least 500 kilograms, this unmanned aircraft can carry up to 13 missiles in a single flight.
The Gaza drone features a wingspan of 22 meters, a takeoff weight of 3,100 kilograms, and a flight endurance of 35 hours, enabling it to perform extended missions.
Watch the video of Iran’s largest drone, unveiled today!
Named the Gaza Drone, this advanced aircraft successfully destroyed 8 targets with precision during its first demonstration. It will also play a key role in monitoring the nation’s borders.#Iran #Gazadrone #Gaza pic.twitter.com/cmyMNRcOW1
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|| Alexander (@Sarbazrehbar) January 27, 2025
It also achieves a cruising speed of 350 kilometers per hour and has an operational radius of approximately 4,000 kilometers.
According to a press release from the IRGC, an Iranian military force and internationally designated terrorist organization, the Gaza drone successfully destroyed eight targets for the first time on Sunday, launching missiles equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities during the Great Prophet Authority military exercise in the Persian Gulf.
The announcement came days after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal earlier this month to end the 15-month war in Gaza.
The initial six-week first phase of the ceasefire includes a partial and gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages taken by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Iran is the chief international sponsor of Hamas, providing the Palestinian terrorist group in Gaza with weapons, funding, and training.
As part of the first phase of the ceasefire, 26 additional hostages are expected to be released over the next month, along with hundreds more Palestinian prisoners who were largely detained by Israel for involvement in terrorist activities.
The post Iran Unveils ‘Gaza’ Drone With 1,000-km Range first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel, NASA Reach Agreement to Send First Israeli Female Astronaut to Space
Axiom’s four-man team lifts off, riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, April 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Steve Nesius
Israel has reached an agreement with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to send the first Israeli woman astronaut to space, Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology Gila Gamliel announced on Monday at the Israel Space Agency’s 20th Ilan Ramon International Space Conference.
“We received approval from NASA to send the first Israeli female astronaut into space,” Gamliel said at the conference in Tel Aviv. “We in Israel have now begun the process of searching for our candidate among our brave women.”
Gamliel, who visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in September, did not elaborate on when or in what capacity the Israeli female astronaut will join NASA as part of a mission into space.
“This milestone will serve as an inspiration for future generations and emphasize the importance of gender equality in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” she added.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, who is in New York to speak at the United Nations as part of an event honoring the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, sent a pre-recorded message that was played at the Ramon Conference.
“We are living in an incredibly exciting times for space exploration,” Herzog said. “Humanity is discovering new ways to use space technologies not only to explore the stars, but to advance global health, stability, and prosperity on our own planet. Space exploration is the next frontier for humanity, and I am convinced that it will play an increasingly bigger role in science and that humanity will ultimately settle in space as well.”
“Israel, despite its small size, is a global trailblazer in the field of space,” he added. “Already now, we partner with the leading space programs in the world, including with some of our Abraham Accords partners. I am hopeful that we will see many exciting new collaborations ahead. This leadership at the forefront of new space is absolutely critical for Israel’s future security, prosperity, and scientific leadership in the world, and we must make it a top priority.”
The Ilan Ramon International Space Conference is named after the first Israeli astronaut, who was killed along with his six crewmates in February 2003 when NASA’s space shuttle Columbia broke apart as it returned to Earth’s atmosphere. Ramon was 48 years old.
“NASA and Israel have a long-standing relationship, and this is an exciting time in space for both of our nations,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free in a recorded message shared at the conference on Monday. He noted Ramon’s legacy as the first Israeli astronaut and also mentioned Israeli citizen Eitan Stiva and his historic first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. He additionally mentioned that NASA and Israel have extended their partnership regarding moon exploration.
The Israeli company Stream Red developed a radiation belt that was sent to the space station and on the Artemis 1 experimental mission, and has helped improve the understanding of radiation exposure on Earth. In 2022, Israel signed the Artemis Accords to show its commitment to scientific cooperation and space exploration.
The post Israel, NASA Reach Agreement to Send First Israeli Female Astronaut to Space first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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The Three-Finger Symbol: A Narrative of Death vs. A Narrative of Life
Former hostage Emily Damari is reunited with her mother, on Jan. 19, 2025. Credit: Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit.
We all felt deeply moved watching Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, and Daniela Gilboa return to Israel’s borders and into the embrace of their families, joining Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher, who were released last week.
Despite Hamas’ attempts to stage their release as a propaganda spectacle — and the Palestinian celebrations about the release of heinous murderers from Israeli prisons — Emily Damari’s brave gestures remind us of the profound differences between the narratives embraced by each side.
In 2014, following the kidnapping and murder of Israeli soldiers Gil-Ad Michael Shaer, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Fraenkel, a new visual symbol emerged in the Palestinian street: three raised fingers.
This gesture, initially a reaction to the kidnapping, quickly evolved into a powerful propaganda emblem, gaining significant traction on social media. A Facebook page titled “3 شلاليط ثم اقتحامات ثم انتفاضة ثالثة” (“Three ‘Shalits,’ then an invasion, then a third Intifada”) framed the kidnapping as part of a broader historical narrative of resistance. Drawing parallels to the abduction of Gilad Shalit, the gesture aimed to amplify a sense of Palestinian “victory.”
However, like many narratives in the digital age, this one had a short lifespan. The Facebook page ceased activity after a few months, and the symbol faded from public discourse. The dynamic nature of social media reduced this emblem to a fleeting memory — momentary propaganda rooted in violence and death.
Reclaiming the Symbol: The Israeli Side
A decade later, the world has changed. During the events of October 7, 2023, and the “Iron Swords” war, Palestinian narratives resurfaced rapidly across social media. Yet, alongside them, a completely new narrative emerged from the Israeli side.
The abduction of Emily Damari, a young woman taken from her home in Kfar Aza by Hamas terrorists, became an extraordinary symbol. During her abduction, Emily suffered injuries to her hand, leading to the amputation of two of her fingers. Yet her resilience and courage never wavered. Upon her release, Emily prominently displayed her hand, missing two fingers, as a symbol of the indomitable Israeli spirit.
Her bravery was also evident in her request to the terrorists to release 65-year-old Keith Sigal before her — an extraordinary act of humanity in the face of captivity’s horrors.
A stark contrast emerges between the Palestinian use of three fingers and the Israeli use of the same symbol.
While the Palestinian gesture celebrated violent “victory” through kidnapping and murder, the Israeli narrative draws strength from the pursuit of life, survival, and hope. Emily Damari’s hand has become a gesture of life triumphing over death, courage overcoming violence, and hope transcending despair. In many ways, it embodies the entire story of Zionism.
This powerful gesture serves as a reminder of the fundamental difference between us and our enemies. We celebrate life and courage, while they revel in death and hatred. Even in these challenging days, we continue to choose hope and life. This choice is the source of our strength and our enduring resolve.
“There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children will return to their own land” (Jeremiah 31:17).
Itamar Tzur is an Israeli scholar and Middle East expert who holds a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Jewish History and a Master’s degree with honors in Middle Eastern Studies. As a senior member of the “Forum Kedem for Middle Eastern Studies and Public Diplomacy”. Tzur leverages his academic expertise to enhance understanding of regional dynamics and historical contexts within the Middle East.
The post The Three-Finger Symbol: A Narrative of Death vs. A Narrative of Life first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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