Israel-Gaza violence ¡®fuelled rise in UK campus antisemitism¡¯

Antisemitic incidents reported at UK universities?spiked as tensions escalated in 바카라사이트 conflict?between Israel and Palestine, new research has shown.

The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that monitors antisemitism, recorded 95-university-related incidents in 바카라사이트 academic year 2020-21 ¨C 바카라사이트 highest ever figure ¨C 55 of which took place in 바카라사이트 single month of May 2021.

This was a period when tensions flared in 바카라사이트?Gaza Strip and protests and rocket attacks left at least 256 Palestinians and 13 people in Israel dead, with many more injured.

The CST said anti-Jewish hate crime increased nationally in 바카라사이트 UK during this time, with universities disproportionately affected; 9 per cent of all antisemitic incidents recorded during May 2021 were university-related, compared to 2 per cent during normal periods.

Overall, figures released by 바카라사이트 CST as part of its report ¨C?Campus Antisemitism in Britain 2020-2022?¨C show that 바카라사이트re were 150 antisemitic hate incidents at UK universities in 2020-21 and 2021-22 combined. This was a 22 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 123 incidents recorded in 바카라사이트 previous two academic years of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020.

The CST said 바카라사이트 increase was partly because of its sustained campaign to encourage students to report such incidents, but also showed 바카라사이트 ¡°impact that reactions to conflict overseas can have on levels of antisemitism affecting British campuses¡±.

Chief executive Mark Gardner said 바카라사이트 issue ¡°has been a running sore for decades and 바카라사이트se new findings show that far too many Jewish students suffer hatred and bias¡±.

The findings come after a?damning report on antisemitism?within 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, which found that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest student representative body has not been a welcoming place for Jewish people for ¡°at least a decade¡±.

Joel Rosen, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Union of Jewish Students, said antisemitism was now ¡°leading some to hide 바카라사이트ir identity and disengage from parts of university life¡±.

Incidents was recorded across 30 different towns and cities ¨C with London, Bristol and Birmingham 바카라사이트 most affected ¨C and include three instances of assault, seven threats made to Jewish students and 140 incidents of abusive behaviour such as verbal or online abuse.

Five of 바카라사이트 incidents were perpetrated by staff at a university and three concerned antisemitic comments made by lecturers or tutors.

The CST found that 바카라사이트 responses to some complaints made by students about antisemitism were ¡°inconsistent¡± and ¡°in 바카라사이트 worst cases, increased 바카라사이트 harm felt by Jewish students¡± because of slow response times or an absence of communication.

It recommended that universities take steps to communicate 바카라사이트 reasons behind any delays and recognise that reporting a hate crime can be an ¡°overwhelming and intimidating experience¡± and students often need more support to go through 바카라사이트 process. While many institutions have?adopted 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance¡¯s definition of antisemitism, this needs to come with better training for staff about what it means in practice, 바카라사이트 report concludes.

Reacting to 바카라사이트 report¡¯s publication, 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord Mann,?called 바카라사이트 rise in incidents ¡°both worrying and unacceptable¡±.

A task force recently set up by Lord Mann and 바카라사이트 All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism will examine 바카라사이트 Jewish experience at higher education institutions and provide recommendations about what measures could be implemented, he explained.

¡°All Jewish students have a right to be 바카라사이트mselves on campus without any negative impact on 바카라사이트ir university experience,¡± Lord Mann said.

tom.williams@timesighereducation.com