The House of Representatives passed a resolution on Dec. 5 overwhelmingly condemning the rise in antisemitism amid the latest conflict between the Jewish state of Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
The definition: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The resolution states that the House “strongly condemns and denounces all instances of antisemitism occurring in the United States and globally [and] reaffirms and reiterates its strong support for the Jewish community at home and abroad.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), there was a 388 percent spike in antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23.
Jews are the leading target of anti-religious hate crimes in the United States annually, according to the FBI.
Moreover, 73 percent of Jewish college students surveyed by the ADL said they have been victims of or have witnessed antisemitism on campus, while 46 percent said they do not feel safe at their schools.
“Such hate has no place in our national discourse, and it is imperative leaders voice their strong opposition to these horrifying acts of violence and discrimination,” said Mr. Kustoff in a statement.
“The World has seen a drastic rise of antisemitism since October 7th that is deeply disheartening and extremely concerning,” said Mr. Miller in a statement.
The resolution was introduced on the same day the House passed resolutions affirming Israel’s right to exist and calling for the Hamas terrorist group to release its hostages. It came one day before Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) gave a major speech decrying the rise in antisemitism amid the Hamas-Israel conflict.
The measure was passed just hours after Jewish university students sounded the alarm on Capitol Hill over the rise in antisemitism on the campuses of many elite schools.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate student Talia Kahn said her campus, where she also attended as an undergraduate, has “an extremely toxic antisemitic atmosphere.”
She accused MIT President Sally Kornbluth of refusing to handle the antisemitism on campus.
Ms. Kahn accused MIT administrators of failing to combat antisemitism on its staff and faculty, including the chaplain “declaring that Israel has no right to exist” and faculty members “dismissing student concerns for their safety by telling them that if they are scared, they should just go back to Israel.”
New York University student Bella Ingber said that antisemitism at her school has consisted of vandalized and torn posters of hostages held by Hamas and protests where students and faculty members were calling for intifada. She said she was physically attacked by a student in the school library for wearing an American-Israeli flag.
Ms. Ingber said she had heard calls on campus for gassing Jews and “Hitler was right.”
Nonetheless, she said Jewish students at NYU will not surrender.
“We are not going anywhere,” said Ms. Ingber. “Antisemitism and the support for terror should have no home at NYU or on any other college campus.
“We made the promise of ‘Never again,’ and ‘Never again’ is now.”
The resolution passed the same say as the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing with Ms. Kornbluth, Harvard President Claudine Gay, and University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill.
The university presidents defended their schools against the criticisms of failing to sufficiently combat hatred toward Jews on campus and stated what steps they are taking to address antisemitism.
