Jerusalem:
Israel's president on Thursday blasted American universities for campus unrest over Israel's war in Gaza, saying these institutions are “tainted by hatred and anti-Semitism.”
Isaac Herzog said in a special broadcast that he was sending an urgent message of support to Jewish communities amid a “dramatic resurgence of anti-Semitism and following hostilities and intimidation against Jewish students on US campuses in particular.”
“We see prominent academic institutions, halls of history, culture and education polluted by hatred and anti-Semitism, fueled by arrogance and ignorance,” he said.
“We watch in horror as the October 7 atrocities against Israel are celebrated and justified.”
His comments came as hundreds of police and protesters engaged in a tense confrontation at the University of California, Los Angeles, and unrest over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza continued to spread on campuses across the United States.
Protesters have gathered at at least 30 U.S. universities since last month, often setting up tent camps to protest the rising death toll in the Gaza Strip.
At least 34,596 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.
It comes in response to Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
The officers also took about 250 hostages, 129 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 presumed dead, Israel says.
The anti-war protests posed a challenge to American university administrators trying to balance freedom of speech with accusations of criminal activity, anti-Semitism and hate speech.
In his statement Thursday, Herzog said his message was addressed “to our friends on campuses and in Jewish communities in the United States and around the world.”
“The people of Israel stand with you. We listen to you. We see the blatant hostility and threats. We feel the insult, the violation of faith and the violation of friendship. We share the concerns and concerns,” he said.
“Faced with violence, intimidation and intimidation, as masked cowards smash windows and barricade doors, attacking the truth and manipulating history, we stand strong together,” he said.
“While they sing for the intifada and genocide, we will work together – to free our hostages held by Hamas, and fight for civil liberties and our right to believe and belong, for the right to live proudly, peacefully and safely to live like Jews, like Israelis, everywhere.”
Referring to next week's Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations, the Israeli president said “we will speak of the dark times of the past, and we will remember the miracle of our rebirth.”
“Together we will overcome,” he said. “In light of this terrifying resurgence of anti-Semitism: have no fear. Be proud. Stand strong for your freedom.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)