House Republicans have introduced a resolution addressing antisemitism, causing a rift among Democrats. In the House, Representatives Max Miller (R-OH) and David Kustoff (R-TN), who are of the Jewish faith, have presented a resolution aimed at condemning antisemitism worldwide and within the United States. Notably, the resolution includes a contentious assertion equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.
Expressing apprehension, Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat from Illinois, voiced concerns that the resolution could potentially lead to labeling any critique of Israel as antisemitic. She encouraged her colleagues who support Israel to opt for a “present” vote rather than endorsing the resolution.
Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat representing New York, has criticized Republicans, asserting that they lack seriousness in combating real antisemitism. Nevertheless, certain Jewish Democrats, such as Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), have voiced their endorsement for the proposed bill.
Since the attacks on Israel by Hamas on October 7th, there has been a notable increase in antisemitism, with college campuses experiencing particularly egregious expressions of it.
This week, college presidents, including those from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, were called to address Congress’s inquiries about their response to antisemitism incidents on their campuses.
In a troubling incident at Harvard, a group of students supporting Palestine released a statement, placing complete blame on Israel for the civilian casualties caused by Hamas in October.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth stated that her university is addressing both Islamophobia and antisemitism with equal emphasis. Representative Bob Good (R-VA) contested her assertion, arguing that antisemitism and Islamophobia are not comparable issues in the United States.
He inquired with the university presidents whether there have been any significant gatherings advocating for the extermination of Arabs or Muslims in recent days, to which they responded in the negative.
According to a survey by the Anti-Defamation League, almost 75% of Jewish students on college campuses report witnessing or experiencing an incident of antisemitism since the beginning of this academic year.
