All nine Israeli research university presidents have denounced three top American university presidents who, in congressional hearings last week, suggested that antisemitic expressions and calls for genocide against Israel and the Jews “may fall under the umbrella of free speech.”
In a statement Friday, they said, “There has been a disturbing display of hatred towards Jews and Israelis, causing fear among this community on American campuses… Since the horrifying atrocity of October 7, there has been a distressing surge in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment on numerous campuses across the US, including some of its most esteemed universities. Instead of offering empathy and support to Israeli and Jewish students in the wake of the brutal massacre of Jewish communities in their homeland, campuses have witnessed protests advocating for the annihilation of the State of Israel (‘from the river to the sea’) and endorsing terrorist activities against Israeli citizens (‘intifada’),” they declared.
“This resurgence of hostility evokes memories of dark chapters in Jewish history,” the Israeli professors wrote in their official statement. “Under these distressing circumstances, there is an urgent need for firm leadership on American campuses – leadership that unequivocally declares, ‘this far, no further.’ Regrettably, such resolute leadership appears to be lacking at present. While some individual academic leaders have vocally opposed antisemitism and actively worked against it, many others have remained silent.”
Failing to address antisemitism
During the congressional hearings this week, the presidents of three prominent universities – Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania – were questioned about their stance on severe instances of antisemitism on their campuses.
Although these leaders acknowledged the existence of antisemitic expressions, they maintained that curbing a significant portion of these expressions is challenging due to their protection under the banner of free speech.”
The university presidents were asked by members of Congress whether a call for the genocide of the Jewish people aligns with their institutions’ codes of conduct. Astonishingly, they struggled to provide a straightforward “no” and instead offered vague responses, stating that the response “depends on the context.”
After the hearing, Harvard’s president released a brief statement emphasizing the institution’s prohibition of antisemitic expressions, a sentiment later echoed by the president of the University of Pennsylvania.
“A nation that permits a call for genocide in the guise of freedom of speech does a disservice to its values,” wrote Bar-Ilan University President Prof. Arie Zaban, chairperson of the Association of University Heads, Israel – VERA, and his eight other senior academic colleagues.
“Freedom of speech, while a fundamental right, must yield in the face of incitement, hatred, and calls for violence, especially a call for genocide. This principle holds true not only in the US but also in all democratic countries globally. The university presidents’ failure to provide a firm stance in dealing with instances of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment on many campuses in the US is alarming.”
The Israelis stressed that “apologies and expressions of regret are not enough; what is required are clear and decisive actions. In their testimony before Congress, the university presidents mentioned measures taken or planned to protect the security and well-being of Jews and Israelis on campuses. It is now their responsibility to ensure the effectiveness and sufficiency of these measures.
“The burden lies on their shoulders to demonstrate that the universities they lead not only excel in academics but also uphold universal humanistic values and defend the rights of minorities. It is imperative that everyone understands that advocating for the destruction of a people is strictly prohibited at Harvard, MIT, Pennsylvania, and everywhere else in the world.”
In addition to Zaban, the statement was signed by Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, president of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Prof. Alon Chen, president of the Weizmann Institute of Science; Prof. Asher Cohen, president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Leo Corry, president of the Open University; Prof. Ehud Grossman, president of Ariel University; Prof. Ariel Porat, president of Tel Aviv University; Prof. Ron Robin, president of the University of Haifa; and Prof. UriSivan, president of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.