As the wave of student protests, called “Student Intifada”, sweeps through European campuses, we are profoundly concerned by the escalating prevalence of exclusionary, violent, and antisemitic rhetoric, along with the physical assaults targeting Jewish students and members of the university community.
We have warned about this development for months, but our call for support has often been unheard or underestimated. As predicted, everything we saw, and continue to witness, on US College campuses over the past weeks is also coming to Europe.
Witnessing members of our community receiving threats, being physically assaulted, and publicly humiliated, is symptomatic of the failure of a system that should foster dialogue and mutual respect. Moreover, the inability of universities to openly address current challenges and fight antisemitism undermines their core mission of fostering an inclusive and safe learning environment for all students and staff.
This is not a situation that will resolve itself. We need concrete and urgent actions.
EUJS reaffirms its strong belief in freedom of expression as a pillar of our democratic society and in student mobilisation for the protection of lives and human rights. We believe in our ability to debate and have a respectful dialogue.
But what about praising Hamas as a resistance group instead of recognising it as a terrorist organisation? What about calling for the death of Jews, excluding Jewish students from entering their campuses, or beating up Jewish student leaders and Union members because they are wearing a Star of David, holding an Israeli flag, or speaking Hebrew? How can one justify or tolerate all of this? Does this align with our democratic values?
No student should fear being on their campus.
No student should have to face such forms of violence and gaslighting at their universities.
Our universities are failing us. Our European society is also failing us by turning a blind eye and refusing to denounce what is happening in front of them. How can Jewish students still believe in a Jewish future in Europe? How can they still feel safe when this is happening on their campuses, and no one is reacting, listening to and protecting them? What is the path that awaits us? What is next?
We thought universities were supposed to protect the physical and mental safety and health of all students. We thought universities sought to be places of growth and where young people learn to think freely and critically. Is that still part of the mission? Because for Jewish students, right now , university spaces clearly are the opposite. If this is still your mission, what exactly are you waiting for? For a Jewish student to end up in a hospital? For your university to be left without Jews?
Enough is enough.
The time for empty promises has passed.
This situation cannot continue any longer.
The European Union of Jewish Students calls for all European governments to come up NOW with a strong and efficient response to counter the wave of antisemitism and hatred on campuses. We are calling on you to set an example of responsible leadership and commitment to protect all your students.
The world is watching, and the legacy of our universities is at stake.
If you believe, like we do, in a Europe where Jewish life can flourish: act now, not tomorrow.
