Anti-Israel harassment on US college campuses spikes 70%

A recent report found a disturbing rise in anti-Israel harassment of Jewish students on college campuses.

By World Israel News Staff

A recent report from the AMCHA Initiative found a disturbing spike in anti-Israel harassment on American college campuses.

AMCHA Initiative is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting and combating anti-Semitism at institutions of higher education in America.

The study found that from 2017 to 2018, acts of classic anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students decreased by 42%, while incidents of Israel-related harassment increased by 70%.

Anti-Israel hostility has manifested itself in accusations that Jewish and pro-Israel students support racism and genocide, and the labeling of Jewish and pro-Israel students as white supremacists.

From 2017 to 2018, accusations of white supremacy doubled. The promotion of terrorism against Israel surged 67%. The promotion of calls to eliminate Israel more than doubled. Expressions acknowledging opposition to Zionism increased more than threefold.

Expressions acknowledging that the true goal of BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions) movement is to eliminate Israel increased from one case in 2017 to 32 in 2018.

Specifically, in regards to BDS activity on college campuses, the report found that BDS activity on campuses more than doubled from 2017 to 2018, while the promotion of academic BDS grew by more than 100%.

Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, AMCHA’s director placed the onus on faculty members to do something about the BDS and anti-Israel incitement.

”Academic BDS is more dangerous than people realize“ the AMCHA’s director said.

“[I]ts promotion on campus, particularly by faculty who give it academic legitimacy, is inciting an alarming increase in harassment against Israel’s presumed supporters, first and foremost Jewish students. Administrators must take the necessary steps now to stop these unacceptable acts of intolerance,” she said.

The report gave suggestions for how college administrators and faculty members can better understand and combat this alarming problem.

“It is important to establish uniform standards of behavior for all students. Israel-related anti-Semitism is often viewed by university administrators as politically-motivated and is left unaddressed, but harassment is harassment, regardless of the motivation of the perpetrator or the identity of the victim.

“While anti-Zionist speech is protected under the First Amendment, the intolerant behavior such rhetoric incites must be addressed,” the report said.