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Antisemitism Is Raging on Campuses and in Classrooms This Fall
Anti-Zionist protesters being arrested at Pomona College on April 5, 2024. They had taken over an administrative building. Photo: Screenshot/Students for Justice in Palestine via Instagram
As the school year has begun, anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents have occurred at the administrative, faculty, and student level. Here is a breakdown of some of the worst offenses in October:
Faculty
In an incident that reflects the degree to which faculty demand the right to politicize every context, a Stony Brook University researcher complained that he was censured for his presentation at an international conference at the ALS and Related Motor Neuron Disease Gordon Research Conference, which featured slides of Palestinian flags and “stop starving Gaza.”
The manner in which hatred of Israel is embedded by faculty into courses was also illustrated by a course on Ethnic Studies at the University of California at San Diego taught by Professor Shaista Aziz Patel. The course, which is mandatory for Ethnic Studies students, claims that, “The pandemic is not over, neither the viral nor the structural ones of anti-Blackness, anti-indigeneity, Zionism, settler colonialism, casteism, capitalism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, racism, heteropatriarchy, and other structures of violence that keep white supremacy intact.” Information about the course was scrubbed once it was publicized.
The attitudes of individual faculty members were also displayed at McGill University in Canada, where a faculty member’s social media posting stated, “My hardcore Zionist colleagues (kill them all, as they say) from the math department at McGill will roll on the floor tearing their shirts and screaming antisemitism. Well, as they do everyday.” Despite calls from Jewish leaders, university officials have refused to comment on whether the professor’s statement constituted a threat or misconduct. The McGill Association of University Teachers recently adopted a full BDS policy, making pressure from fellow faculty members unlikely.
In a similar incident, a Rutgers University faculty member said she wouldn’t be surprised or horrified by the murder of Jews in synagogues, stating, “If a pro-Israel Zionist synagogue in the U.K was attacked because of the genocide in Palestine then we shouldn’t be surprised or horrified.”
She stated further that:
Secondly, Zionist Jews have spent 2 years convincing us that “Zionism and Judaism are the same”. I mean literally every single time I have respectfully delineated between Zionism and Judaism, I have been corrected that “95% of Jews worldwide support Israel” so if I’m criticising a Zionist I’m criticising all Jews. I am also continuously told by Zionists that ethnic cleansing Palestinians is essential to Jewish religious doctrine, Palestine was “promised to them by God”, and their “divine right on that land” makes them the only rightful inhabitants.
I mean, if they want us to really believe in their “Jewish supremacy” and that 2 million indigenous people must be killed and starved for European Jews to feel more comfortable while they bathe on beaches that don’t belong to them, then I’m sorry, but any hate towards said Jews would be valid.
Efforts to defend antisemitic and anti-Israel speech in the name of academic freedom continue to be advanced by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).
In a letter to the US Department of Education, the AAUP complained that the University of Pennsylvania’s investigations of antisemitic speech were “Harassing, surveilling, intimidating, and punishing members of the university community for research, teaching, and extramural speech based on overly broad definitions of antisemitism does nothing to combat antisemitism, but it can perpetuate anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian racism, muzzle political criticism of the Israeli government by people of any background, and create a climate of fear and self-censorship that threatens the academic freedom of all faculty and students.”
The AAUP’s invocation of anti-Palestinian racism represents an endorsement of a new hierarchy of racism being instituted throughout Canadian and US institutions. Conversely, the AAUP and its local chapters have also tried to police academic appointments, as seen in criticism of former White House spokesman Admiral John Kirby to a position at the University of Chicago. The California Faculty Administration has also filed a complaint to halt an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation into systematic antisemitism in the California State University system.
Lawsuits in response to the growth of antisemitism within university faculty have become common. In October a Federal court ruled against the City University of New York’s efforts to dismiss a lawsuit filed on behalf of Jewish faculty at Hunter College. The suit alleges the institution failed to prevent systematic discrimination and harassment that expanded after October 7, 2023, along with disparate treatment of Jewish faculty and students.
Lawfare by the Islamic lobbying group CAIR has been directed at several universities. At Northwestern University the group sued on behalf of Muslim students who were disciplined by the university and who claimed that required antisemitism training was a violation of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The complaint states that the “training course is replete with political commentary which restricts Northwestern students from advocating for Palestinian liberation, equal rights, an end to apartheid in Palestine, and for the rights of Palestine’s indigenous people (Jewish and non-Jewish).”
CAIR has also protested the appearance of former Israeli soldiers at the University of Maryland, and an appearance of Israeli physicians at the University of Maryland Medical School.
Students
Student groups in the US and Britain such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Palestine Youth Movement predictably opposed the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
A manifesto by Pomona College students who had previously disrupted an October 7th commemoration stated “this moment demands … making modern-nazis feel unwelcome, not just from these college campuses, but everywhere,” and that “Claremont Hillel and every single zionist in that room advance the genocide.”
The Michigan State University Democrats also released then quickly removed a statement condemning “genocide” and demanding the school divest from Israel.
In an especially egregious incident a student at Oxford University who was filmed chanting “Gaza Gaza make us proud, put the Zios in the ground” at a London protest was arrested and charged with inciting racial hatred. Police later removed several firearms and ammunition from his family’s home. The student was defended by a number of groups including Cardiff Students For Palestine which claimed that “Those who are called ‘Israelis’ are in reality tools and mercenaries of imperialism.”
Protests and demonstrations have continued at universities:
- Hunger strikes by SJP chapters to support Hamas have resumed at several institutions including the University of Houston and the University of Rochester;
- An SJP encampment at the University of Louisville was shut down within minutes and the group was suspended;
- At the University of Michigan, three protestors were arrested while disrupting a talk by visiting Israeli soldiers. They were charged with disorderly conduct, attempting to disarm a police officer, and with outstanding warrants.
K-12
K-12 education is increasingly the key vector for generating antisemitic hatred of Israel and its supporters, including Jews.
In an incident that revealed the extent to which teachers unions are prime movers of incitement, the National Education Association sent resources on “indigenous peoples” to its three million members that included a map which erased Israel, links to various anti-Israel websites such as “Palestine Remembered,” and reading lists from the Palestine Youth Movement.
When criticized, the organization scrubbed the resources from its website. The association president stated that the “NEA stands strongly against antisemitism. And we will continue our work to rigorously combat antisemitism, anti-Palestinian bigotry, anti-Arab racism, and all forms of discrimination…”
The role of unions was highlighted in a letter from Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), head of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, to American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten. Kennedy accused the union of “fostering a culture of anti-semitism that alienates Jewish members.”
One tangible demonstration of this culture was a $10,000 donation from the Chicago Teachers Union Local 1 Political Action Committee to the Chicago Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression, a pro-Houthi group that supports “the resistance in Palestine.”
In one notable incident, the California Faculty Association circulated a survey to potential office holders who were asked to detail whether they have donated to or received endorsements from AIPAC or the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC). These were in addition to the “the Oil Industry, the Tobacco Industry, police associations, etc.” which “harm working people.”
The association had strongly opposed a bill supported by JPAC designed to address antisemitism in California schools.
In a related move, the National Council of Teachers of English’s subgroup, the Conference on English Leadership, hosted a panel with an English teacher who has lavishly praised Hamas and Yahya Sinwar.
These activities are already changing the environment within K-12 schools across the country, promoting Islam and “Palestine” and directly threatening Jews. In one recent and egregious incident, Muslim Student Association members at a Fairfax County (VA) high school filmed themselves wearing keffiyehs and pretending to take hostages who were stuffed into a plastic box. The video ended with the statement “no one was harmed in the making of this video.” School officials condemned the video and suspended the association, which was defended by CAIR officials. In New York City schools the Muslim American Society also has announced plans to hold events and create prayer spaces in 50 schools. The group also helped organize students at several high schools for a “Student Walkout for Gaza” held on October 7.
The author is a contributor to SPME, where a completely different version of this article appeared.
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Iran Opposes Grossi’s UN Secretary-General Candidacy, Accuses Him of Failing to Uphold International Law
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi holds a press conference on the opening day of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) quarterly Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Elisabeth Mandl
Iran has publicly opposed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi’s potential appointment as UN Secretary-General next year, accusing him of failing to uphold international law by not condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
During a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, sharply criticized Grossi, calling him unfit” to serve as UN Secretary-General next year, Iranian media reported.
“A candidate who has deliberately failed to uphold the UN Charter — or to condemn unlawful military attacks against safeguarded, peaceful nuclear facilities … undermines confidence in his ability to serve as a faithful guardian of the charter and to discharge his duties independently, impartially, and without political bias or fear of powerful states,” the Iranian diplomat said.
With UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ term ending in December next year, member states have already begun nominating candidates to take over the role ahead of the expected 2026 election.
Since the start of the war in Gaza, Israel’s relationship with Guterres has spiraled downward, reaching a low point last year when then-Foreign Minister Israel Katz labeled the UN “antisemitic and anti-Israeli” and declared Guterres persona non grata after the top UN official failed to condemn Tehran for its ballistic missile attack against the Jewish state.
Last week, Argentina officially nominated Grossi to succeed Guterres as the next UN Secretary-General.
To be elected, a nominee must first secure the support of at least nine members of the UN Security Council and avoid a veto from any of its five permanent members — the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France.
Afterward, the UN General Assembly votes, with a simple majority needed to confirm the organization’s next leader.
As head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog since 2019, Grossi has consistently urged Iran to provide transparency on its nuclear program and cooperate with the agency, efforts the Islamist regime has repeatedly rejected and obstructed.
Despite Iran’s claims that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes rather than weapons development, Western powers have said there is no “credible civilian justification” for the country’s nuclear activity, arguing it “gives Iran the capability to rapidly produce sufficient fissile material for multiple nuclear weapons.”
With prospects for renewed negotiations or nuclear cooperation dwindling, Iran has been intensifying efforts to rebuild its air and defense capabilities decimated during the 12-day war with Israel.
On Monday, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), declared that the IAEA has no authority to inspect sites targeted during the June war, following Grossi’s renewed calls for Tehran to allow inspections of its nuclear sites and expand cooperation with the agency.
Iran has also announced plans to expand its nuclear cooperation with Russia and advance the construction of new nuclear power plants, as both countries continue to deepen their bilateral relations.
According to AEOI spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi, one nuclear power plant is currently operational, while other two are under construction, with new contracts signed during a recent high-level meeting in Moscow.
Kamalvandi also said Iran plans to build four nuclear power plants in the country’s southern region as part of its long-term partnership with Russia.
During a joint press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Iran’s commitment to defending the country’s “legal nuclear rights” under the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal, noting that Tehran’s nuclear policies have remained within the international legal framework.
Iran’s growing ties with Russia, particularly in nuclear cooperation, have deepened in recent years as both countries face mounting Western sanctions and seek to expand their influence in opposition to Western powers.
Russia has not only helped Iran build its nuclear program but also consistently defended the country’s “nuclear rights” on the global stage, while opposing the imposition of renewed economic sanctions.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described the reinstatement of UN sanctions against Iran as a “disgrace to diplomacy.”
In an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN), Lavrov accused European powers of attempting to blame Tehran for the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, despite what he described as Iran’s compliance with the agreement.
Prior to the 12-day war, the IAEA flagged a series of Iranian violations of the deal.
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Eurovision Host Says It Will Not Drown Out Any Boos During Israel’s Performance
ORF executive producer Michael Kroen attends a press conference about the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Dec. 16, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Lisa Leutner
The host broadcaster of the next Eurovision Song Contest, Austria’s ORF, will not ban the Palestinian flag from the audience or drown out booing during Israel’s performance as has happened at previous shows, organizers said on Tuesday.
The 70th edition of the contest in May will have just 35 entries, the smallest number of participants since 2003, after five national broadcasters including those of Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands said they would boycott the show in protest at Israel’s participation.
What is usually a celebration of national diversity, pop music, and high camp has become embroiled in diplomatic strife, with those boycotting saying it would be unconscionable to take part given the number of civilians killed in Gaza during Israel’s military campaign following the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel.
“We will allow all official flags that exist in the world, if they comply with the law and are in a certain form – size, security risks, etc.,” the show’s executive producer, Michael Kroen, told a news conference organized by ORF.
“We will not sugarcoat anything or avoid showing what is happening, because our task is to show things as they are,” Kroen said.
AUSTRIA SUPPORTED ISRAEL PARTICIPATING
The broadcaster will not drown out the sound of any booing from the crowd, as happened this year during Israel’s performance, ORF’s director of programming Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz said.
“We won’t play artificial applause over it at any point,” she said.
Israel’s 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael, was at the Nova music festival that was a target of the Hamas-led attack. The CEO of Israeli broadcaster KAN had likened the efforts to exclude Israel in 2026 to a form of “cultural boycott.”
ORF and the Austrian government were among the biggest supporters of Israel participating over the objections of countries including Iceland and Slovenia, which will also boycott the next contest in protest. ORF Director General Roland Weissmann visited Israel in November to show his support.
This year’s show drew around 166 million viewers, according to the European Broadcasting Union, more than the roughly 128 million who Nielsen estimates watched the Super Bowl.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas-led terrorists killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and seized 251 hostages in an attack on southern Israel.
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Antisemitism Allowed to Fester in Australia, Says Daughter of Wounded Holocaust Survivor
Victoria Teplitsky, daughter of a Holocaust survivor who was wounded at the Bondi shootings, stands at a floral memorial in honor of the victims of the mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Jeremy Piper
Government authorities have not done enough to stamp out hatred of Jews in Australia, which has allowed it to fester in the aftermath of Oct. 7, said the daughter of a Holocaust survivor who was wounded at the Bondi shootings on Sunday.
Victoria Teplitsky, 53, a retired childcare center owner, said that the father and son who allegedly went on a 10-minute shooting spree that killed 15 people had been “taught to hate,” which was a bigger factor in the attack than access to guns.
“It’s not the fact that those two people had a gun. It’s the fact that hatred has been allowed to fester against the Jewish minority in Australia,” she told Reuters in an interview.
“We are angry at our government because it comes from the top, and they should have stood up for our community with strength. And they should have squashed the hatred rather than kind of letting it slide,” she said.
“We’ve been ignored. We feel like, are we not Australian enough? Do we not matter to our government?”
The attackers fired upon hundreds of people at a Jewish festival during a roughly 10-minute killing spree, forcing people to flee and take shelter before both were shot by police.
RISING ANTISEMITIC ATTACKS
Antisemitic incidents have been rising in Australia since the war in Gaza erupted after Palestinian terrorist group Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in an attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
A rise in such incidents in the past sixteen months prompted the head of the nation’s main intelligence agency to declare that antisemitism was his top priority in terms of threat.
“This was not a surprise to the Jewish community. We warned the government of this many, many times over,” Teplitsky said.
“We’ve had synagogues that have been graffitied, graffiti everywhere, and we’ve had synagogues that have been bombed,” she added, referring to a 2024 arson attack in Melbourne in which no one was killed.
Teplitsky’s father Semyon, 86, bled heavily after being shot in the leg, and now is facing several operations as doctors piece bone back together with cement, then remove the cement from the leg, which he still may lose, she said.
“He’s in good spirits, but he’s also very angry. Angry that this happened, that this was allowed to happen in Australia, the country that he took his children to, to be safe, to be away from antisemitism, to be away from Jew hatred.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “did nothing” to curb antisemitism.
Albanese repeated on Tuesday Australia‘s support for a two-state solution. Anti-Israel, pro-Hamas protests have been common in Australia since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza.
At a press briefing on Monday, Albanese read through a list of actions his government had taken, including criminalizing hate speech and incitement to violence and a ban on the Nazi salute. He also pledged to extend funding for physical security for Jewish community groups.