“Israel and its defenders are seen as a symbol opposed by an ultra-awakened progressive culture”
UC Berkeley Law School students kicked off the academic year by excluding speakers advocating “Zionism, the apartheid state of Israel and the occupation of Palestine,” prompting accusations of intentional “Judenfrei,” the Nazi term for an area that has been “cleared” of Jews.
Nine groups of students endorsed a deal, initiated by UC Berkeley law students for “justice in Palestine” in late August, stating that the exclusion of speakers deemed pro-Israel is critical to “the safety and well-being of the students. Palestinians on campus “.
Berkeley Law School principal Erwin Chemerinsky, himself a progressive Zionist, criticized the deal, saying it would mean he and 90% of Jewish students would be banned.
Kenneth Marcus, founder and president of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and a former law student at the facility, accused the groups of creating “Jewish-free zones.”
In an editorial published this week in the Jewish Journal, titled “Berkeley Develops Jewish-Free Zones”, Marcus noted that the move “seems frightening and unexpected.”
Marcus argues that anti-Zionist groups on campus now directly target American Jews.
“Anti-Zionism is decidedly anti-Semitic. Using ‘Zionist’ as a euphemism for ‘Jew’ is nothing more than a sleight of hand. Like other forms of Judeophobia, it is an ideology of hatred, which treats Israel as the ‘collective Jew’ ‘and contaminates the Jewish state with slanders similar to those used for centuries to defame individual Jews, ”he explained.
An anti-Semitism fueled by wokism
A hostility towards Israel and the Jews today palpable throughout the American territory. Aymeric, a French-speaking student at Columbia University in New York, told i24NEWS: “It is well known that anti-Semitism and visceral hatred of Israel has invaded college campuses on the American east coast in recent years.” It is true that this ideology hovers globally, it is a daily sentiment. Since I arrived at Columbia University a few weeks ago, I have felt this contempt for Israel and the Jewish communities almost every day, “he said.
“Whether it is the thoughts, looks or questions of other students or even lectures on inclusiveness and school life given by the representatives of the university itself. The State of Israel and its advocates are seen as a symbol against which culture is fought. America’s ultra-smart progressive, who finds his nest on the campuses of the most prestigious institutions, “he said.
“As a European, I was stunned by this uninhibited discourse that encourages victim competition and excessive categorization. However, I recognize that Jewish life takes place peacefully within the community, in a free and open way, the administration makes it a point of honor we can continue to practice our Judaism as we see fit. I would especially like to salute the tireless work of organizations fighting this scourge: SSI, StopAntisemitism, CombatAntisemitism, Jewish on Campus, etc. “, he concluded.
The number of anti-Semitic incidents recorded by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in the United States had reached an all-time high in 2021, according to a new report from the group.
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