Israel-Palestine protests rock US campuses, raise antisemitism concerns.
Several prominent US universities have witnessed unrest over the Israel-Gaza conflict with accusations of rising anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents. Protestors at New York University, Yale, and Columbia have been rallying in support of Palestine even as authorities allege outsiders stoked tensions.
NYU had to clear an encampment after 50 arrests, while Yale saw nearly 50 detained for defying dispersal calls. Students demand divestment from Israeli occupation financiers, but reports indicate some demonstrators near Columbia-backed Hamas attacks and shouted anti-Jewish slogans.
Chabad at Columbia said Jewish peers faced harassment as a rabbi advised avoiding campus. However, protest groups deny endorsements of bigotry, stating criticism is reserved for Israel.
With Columbia canceling classes, President Biden condemned both anti-Semitic protests and ignorance around Palestinians’ plight. A working group has been formed to resolve the “crisis.”
Congress members wrote to Columbia’s Vice-Chancellor regarding the failure to ensure security after her testimony on tackling anti-Semitism.
Staff, too, questioned outside intervention absent clear danger. As debates rage over free speech, US leaders face a balancing act to address student concerns on different sides of the conflict.
