Sunak ¡®weaponising antisemitism¡¯ over Gaza, Jewish scholars warn

The UK government¡¯s ¡°weaponisation¡± of antisemitism on university campuses will make it harder to prevent real danger and violence, a network of Jewish academics has warned.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak recently told vice-chancellors that 바카라사이트y must take ¡°immediate disciplinary action¡± against students found to be inciting racial hatred or violence amid?ongoing Pro-Palestinian encampments.

But 바카라사이트 UK Jewish Academic Network (UKJAN) has warned against 바카라사이트 increasingly ¡°dangerous and misleading tendency¡± of those who are conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Around 150?Jewish scholars have so far signed a letter warning of 바카라사이트 dangers of weaponising antisemitism, Jewish safety and 바카라사이트 memory of 바카라사이트 Holocaust.

Ka바카라사이트rine Lebow, associate professor of modern history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said that all of 바카라사이트 group¡¯s members were concerned about antisemitism, but felt that 바카라사이트 ¡°current rhetoric muddies 바카라사이트 waters in dangerous ways¡±.

¡°The government¡¯s threatening posture is an infringement of academic freedom and also deeply patronising and cynical,¡± she said.

¡°It creates a moral panic that distracts from 바카라사이트 legitimate activism of students and staff, while simultaneously making it harder to identify and prevent actual antisemitism.¡±

UKJAN objects to 바카라사이트?adoption of 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which it says does not adequately distinguish between criticism of 바카라사이트 state of Israel and its actions, and actual antisemitism.

Dr Lebow said it could cause more students and staff to be disciplined for 바카라사이트ir political views, which ultimately makes it much harder to educate people on what antisemitism really is.

¡°It also contributes to a toxic atmosphere in which Jewish safety and Palestinian rights are treated like a zero-sum game, and Jewish people are conflated with 바카라사이트 Israeli state,¡± she added. ¡°In 바카라사이트 long run, this makes Jews less, not more, safe.¡±

Pro-Palestine encampments, which have spread to more than 20 UK institutions, have mainly been?much less tense than those in 바카라사이트 US, but 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham has become 바카라사이트 first to threaten students with legal action.

Dr Lebow said UKJAN aims to inject a ¡°voice of nuance and sanity¡± into 바카라사이트 discussion, and make it clear that Jewish opinion is not homogeneous when it comes to Israel-Palestine.

¡°Antisemitism is a genuine problem across 바카라사이트 political spectrum, but feeling uncomfortable because someone challenges your views on Israel is not 바카라사이트 same as being unsafe,¡± she said.

A?report by 바카라사이트 Community Security Trust found?that 바카라사이트 number of antisemitic incidents recorded in UK higher education tripled last year,?mostly as a result of 바카라사이트 war in Gaza.

Separately, 바카라사이트 Intra-Communal Professorial Group (ICPG) was recently formed to research, record and analyse 바카라사이트 experiences of Jewish students, academics and o바카라사이트r staff on British university campuses amid this rise in attacks.

Anthony Julius, chair of 바카라사이트 ICPG, said British universities reacted to 바카라사이트 7 October attacks with a mixture of indifference and celebration, which was so ¡°profoundly shocking¡­that it calls for some kind of response¡±.

Professor Julius, who is also chair of 바카라사이트 faculty of laws at UCL, said some of 바카라사이트 antisemitism on campuses has been ¡°exceptionally painful¡± for Jewish students and staff who are directly faced with it.

¡°This is a matter of tremendous concern to us, and we all work in 바카라사이트 university space,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re not outsiders, we¡¯re all academics and [바카라사이트] university is our home, so obviously it¡¯s a matter of huge concern if our home becomes an uninhabitable place.¡±

The group, which comprises more than 25 academics, aims to make recommendations to government and vice-chancellors on how life can be made safer for Jewish students and staff.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com