Anti-Israel protesters at the University of California in Santa Cruz have faced backlash for demanding that the university cut ties with Jewish community groups that support Jewish students and faculty on campuses. A flier from the Students for Justice in Palestine at UC-Santa Cruz revealed the demands, sparking criticism for being overtly antisemitic in nature. Lawmakers and social media users spoke out against the flier, arguing that targeting Jewish institutions is not a valid form of criticism but rather an act of antisemitism.
The demands included cutting ties with all Zionist organizations, which the group identified as including Jewish community groups such as the Hellen Diller Foundation, Koret Foundation, Israel Institute, and Hillel International. The Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council pointed out that three of the four organizations listed were Jewish charities and communal groups, making the demand for an academic boycott appear to target Jewish institutions rather than criticizing the Israeli government. Social media users also noted that the demands effectively called for the elimination of Jewish presence on campus, further highlighting the antisemitic nature of the protest.
Hillel, the largest Jewish student life organization in the US, was singled out by the group for its affiliation with Israel and for receiving some funding from the Israeli government. While Hillel prohibits chapters from partnering with groups that oppose Israel, it remains apolitical and serves as a central hub for Jewish life on college campuses across the country. The demands made by the pro-Palestine group also included divesting from weapons manufacturing companies and severing ties with the local police department, accusing them of targeting repression and policing of pro-Palestinian advocacy on campus.
Critics of the anti-Israel protesters highlighted the underlying antisemitism in their demands, pointing out that protesting against Jewish institutions is not a valid criticism of Israeli government policies. Lawmakers and activists spoke out against the flier, condemning the targeting of Jewish organizations and calling for support of Jewish students and faculty on campus. The demands made by the group were seen as an attempt to drive Jews out of universities and suppress safety and hate speech control, sparking further backlash from the community.
The flier from the Students for Justice in Palestine at UC-Santa Cruz sparked a larger conversation about the line between criticizing the Israeli government and targeting Jewish institutions. The demands for cutting ties with Jewish community groups and organizations revealed a deeper level of antisemitism underlying the protests. The debate highlighted the need to distinguish between valid criticism of government policies and discriminatory actions targeting a specific religious or ethnic group, opening up discussions about tolerance, diversity, and inclusion on college campuses.
