As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues in Gaza, protests on college campuses across the U.S. are drawing attention. The intentions of the protests have caused national debate, raising questions about antisemitism. Are the pro-Palestinian protests anti-Israel? Are the protests anti-Jew?
Answers vary largely depending on a person’s politics, which is one reason why there is such a divide in Americans’ opinions on what should happen next for the college campus protests.
There is a wide range of photos and videos online that tell different stories of what the protests look like. Some are of peaceful assemblies. In one video, demonstrators chant “free, free, free Palestine,” standing up for Palestinians who they feel Israel is committing genocide against.
However, there is other content surrounding the protests that have some Jewish students and staff claiming that the protests are not just anti-Israel, but also antisemitic.
There are some images showing students in Hamas headbands and images of students with a “final solution” poster — an expression used by Hitler meaning “exterminate all Jews.”
There are some videos of Jewish students saying they are being blocked by protesters on campus grounds, and there are other videos of sides colliding and interactions intensifying.
Additionally, videos of students using threatening rhetoric have surfaced, leading to student suspensions. In one video, a student can be heard saying, “Why would we want people who are supporters of genocide to live?”
“Be glad, be grateful, that i’m not going out murdering zionists,” the student said.
Another element that makes the rhetoric divisive is that the two sides use the same words and slogans but with different intended meanings.
For example, “from the river to the sea” has become a battlecry for pro-Palestinian protesters who call it a “call for freedom and human rights.” However, it’s origin calls for the abolishment of Israel — an expression some Jews claim targets their lives.
The same applies for the word “intifada.” Pro-Palestinians call it a resistance movement, but history shows previous calls for intifada led to the slaughter of Jewish people.
As unrest fills college campuses, university leadership is left with the question: At what point does pro-Palestinian political speech turn into antisemitic hate speech?
Some responses are being scrutinized.
Emory University in Georgia called for police reinforcement to end a protest; people are now calling for the university president’s resignation.
Democratic state lawmakers in Georgia jointly condemned the decision as “a dangerous escalation to protests which were by all accounts peaceful and nonviolent.”
University presidents who are not taking action are also being called out.
“Unchecked antisemitism has become commonplace on Columbia’s campus,” a political ad from Republican lawmakers said. “The university’s inaction has left Jewish students abandoned.”
At Columbia, the words “Columbia will burn” were written on notices that were sent to encampments alerting them to disperse. An academic building was vandalized and occupied by protesters.
The protests are invoking strong opinions from both political sides, and both prominent Democrats and Republicans have condemned protests that cross the line to antisemitic.
A new Gallup poll shows that immigration is still the top issue heading into the November elections, however another poll shows two in five voters say the Israel-Hamas war is important to their 2024 vote.
