Antisemitism is raging. Catalyzed by the Hamas Oct.7 attacks, antisemitic incidents in the US are up by over 388%, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The recent escalation of the decades-long Israeli-Arab conflict has brought the issue of territory to the forefront of the world’s attention. The malicious Hamas attacks were met with severe but necessary military measures from Israel, prompting worldwide scrutiny.
Many people lack a deep understanding of the complexity of the conflict. People often criticize Israel by vilifying their military actions and suggesting defending itself through violence is inherently wrong. We must acknowledge the significance of protecting human life while understanding how crucial it is to protect Israel. Israel is the sole Jewish state holding paramount cultural significance as a safe space for religious freedom.
Despite the Israeli Defence Forces’ colossal military failure to foresee the unprecedented Oct. 7 terrorist attack, the military strength of Israel is unparalleled. If Israel chose to negate civilian casualties, they could have easily ended the war on Oct. 8 by bombing Gaza. Their careful response to the Hamas attacks shows a clear mindfulness of civilian lives. Hamas, however, chooses to endanger civilians by basing in civilian areas and holding Israeli hostages, using them as human shields.
Criticism of Israel often coincides with anti-Zionism and antisemitism. According to the ADL, Jews in America after Oct.7 have experienced an average of 34 antisemitic attacks per day. People can not seem to understand the importance of Israel’s need to protect itself. If Israel surrenders, there will cease to be a Jewish state. If Hamas surrenders, there could be peace.
Hamas waged war on Israel, aiming to eliminate the Jewish population at the expense of civilians. Hamas is a terrorist organization that will kill anyone in their way. The Charter Of Hamas explicitly states their desire to implement Allah’s promise, “The time(16) will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them).” This statement from the original 1988 charter exemplifies their hateful extremist beliefs. Further in the charter, Hamas expresses their desire to eradicate the Jews, justifying their antisemitism by demonizing Jews.
“The Nazism of the Jews does not skip women and children, it scares everyone,” says the Hamas Charter. This is blatantly antisemitic, saying Jews harm indiscriminately in the same way they were brutally abused and murdered during the Holocaust. Recently, a common antisemitic idea that has been spreading is equating the way Israel is handling Gaza to concentration camps. Not only is this an extremely insensitive comparison, but it is also incredibly inaccurate. Israel is merely defending itself, not aiming to eradicate a group of people. People are saying Israel is committing genocide, which, ironically, is what Hamas is aiming to do to the Jewish people. Furthermore, Israel is providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, showing incredible care for civilians.
Hotspots of antisemitism have extended to university campuses. Some of the least supportive campuses after the Oct. 7 attacks include Ivy League schools such as the University of Cornell, Harvard, Pennsylvania, and Columbia. These universities did little to protect Jews, and the presidents of Harvard, Penn, and MIT were asked to resign after more than 70 lawmakers cited dissatisfaction about antisemitism on their campuses. 73% of Jewish college students surveyed experienced or witnessed antisemitism since the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Prior to this school year, 70% of college students experienced at least some form of antisemitism throughout their entire college experience. Antisemitism has always been an underlying societal issue but is exemplified now. Over a third of Jewish students said they felt uncomfortable speaking on Israel as well as speaking out on antisemitism.
In contrast, nearly 17 percent of non-Jewish students felt the same. Fear is perpetuating campuses as antisemitism often coincides with the Arab-Israeli conflict. Attacks are not limited to universities but are also present at synagogues, public transportation, and Hillels and have become seemingly ubiquitous.
Jewish students must consider antisemitism in their college applications. The ADL has made a beta report card that grades how colleges have handled campus antisemitism.
The card states, “ADL produced this Report Card during a time of incredible volatility on college campuses. It takes the temperature at a moment in time and provides a roadmap for improving campus climate.”
War is disturbing. Unequivocally, the atrocities of war are unwanted. However, there is a double standard at which Israel has been placed to handle the war that other countries are not held to. Throughout history, the US and other nations have ruthlessly attacked to protect themselves and their beliefs. Why is Israel expected to act kindly towards terrorists encroaching upon their land, aiming to kill their people? Israel is acting as any nation would to protect herself. Moreover, why are the actions of the Israeli government leading to hateful incidents for the Jewish people?
People must educate themselves on the complexity of the Arab-Israeli conflict before offering their opinions, which have the potential to be harmful, leading to Jewish hate.