University presidents and administrators must take responsibility for protecting Jewish students from the escalating antisemitism and violence that are increasingly prevalent on campuses across Canada and the United States. Last year, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued failing grades to Concordia, York, and the University of Toronto for their inadequate responses to antisemitic incidents. This year, we anticipate that even more universities may find themselves in similarly troubling situations, or worse.
One notable exception was York University, which took immediate action to address antisemitic encampments by calling in law enforcement to remove them swiftly. However, this response does not erase York’s longstanding reputation as a hotspot for antisemitism, where, over the past two decades, faculty and student organizations have perpetuated a culture of hostility through distorted narratives about Israel. Islamist groups have systematically transformed campuses with initiatives like “Israeli Apartheid Week” and the “Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions” (BDS) movement, falsely equating Israel with apartheid South Africa and labelling Jews as colonial oppressors.
Universities are meant to prepare the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to build a better future. Instead, Islamist groups are working to empower our youth with falsehoods today, for a worse tomorrow, undermining the freedoms and democratic principles we hold dear. As a Canary Mission report noted this week, dozens of U of T faculty aided last spring’s anti-Israel encampment. This should alarm everyone who values the future of our country and the protections afforded by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Fortunately, some universities are beginning to take action. The University of California and the California State University system have implemented a “zero tolerance” policy prohibiting camping, wearing masks to obscure faces, and blocking campus pathways — measures aimed at curbing disruptive and potentially dangerous protests. The University of Pennsylvania has banned demonstrations in classrooms, offices, residences, and other public areas on campus, setting clear boundaries for acceptable protest locations. Yale University has created a new administrative position focused on managing and de-escalating protests, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for oversight. Additionally, the University of South Florida now requires registration and prior approval for protests and any event involving signs, tents, or amplified sound, ensuring greater accountability.
Yet, while these actions are commendable, they are only a beginning. Across North America, headlines reveal a darker story. At the University of North Carolina, educators continue to propagate the false narrative of genocide against Israel, fuelling anti-Israel sentiment. At Rutgers University, residential assistants recently refused to participate in mandatory antisemitism training, showcasing resistance to addressing this growing problem. Columbia University, which was the epicentre of antisemitic encampments last year, has already seen pro-Hamas demonstrations break out, threatening to shut down the entire campus. The situation became so untenable that Columbia’s president resigned just two weeks ago, following her failure to address the escalating violence and antisemitism.
Radicalism on campuses isn’t confined to isolated incidents. At the University of British Columbia, students displayed a banner reading “pigs off campus,” complete with a severed pig’s head — a symbol with deep-rooted antisemitic connotations. This extremism is not just shocking; it’s a clear indicator of how normalized hatred has become in academic settings. If universities tolerate such open displays of bigotry, it is only a matter of time before this poison seeps into broader society, influencing our streets, government, and corporate leadership.
At Toronto Metropolitan University, pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas students greeted their peers with signs reading “Zionists off campus.” While their antisemitism is blatant, they now attempt to cloak it with a fabricated term — “Anti-Palestinian Racism” (APR) — which they use to deflect criticism and silence opposition to their falsehoods. Having been a target for telling the truth about Israel, I implore educational institutions and corporations to disallow integration of APR which counters our foundational values of free expression.
To academic critics who argue that setting rules against encampments, antisemitism, and violence constitutes suppression of free speech, I urge them to consider the real world, where law-abiding citizens learn to coexist respectfully in a diverse society. In which corporate boardroom would such behavior be tolerated? The answer is clear: none. Universities should not be exempt from the basic norms of civility and respect that govern the rest of society. We are already witnessing campus chaos spilling into our streets, where hate speech runs rampant and public roads are blocked. This is not a productive exercise of free speech—it’s an abuse of it. So, I ask the critics: is “free speech for me, but not for thee” truly what they mean when defending these actions?
University leaders must not remain silent in the face of this growing threat. They need to implement decisive measures, like those adopted by some institutions, to ensure that campuses remain places of learning and inclusion, not of hate and violence. Failure to act now risks not only the safety and well-being of Jewish students but also the integrity of our universities and the democratic values they are meant to uphold. The future of our society depends on confronting this crisis before it spirals further out of control.
In the final analysis, the chaos on university campuses is a threat to Canada and America, not to Israel. Pro-Hamas demonstrations will not deter Israel from defending itself against the terrorism that surrounds it. In fact, they will have the opposite effect. However, these demonstrations impact courageous Jewish students on campus, and they must be protected by their universities.
National Post
Avi Benlolo is the founding chairman of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative.