The Cornell Review Covers Legal Insurrection Panel About Anti-Semitism on Campus

The Cornell Review Covers Legal Insurrection Panel About Anti-Semitism on Campus

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From the Cornell Review:

Cornell law professor and panel discuss antisemitism on Cornell and other Ivy League campuses

On December 19, the Legal Insurrection Foundation (LIF) and Cornell Free Speech Alliance (CFSA) co-hosted an online panel discussion on “Campus Antisemitism Crisis: Cornell, The Ivies, and Other U.S. Universities.”

The event featured Cornell Law School professor William Jacobson, alumna Susan Price ‘90, and current Cornell student Amanda Silberstein ‘26. It was moderated by LIF Operations and Editorial Director Kemberlee Kaye.

Opening Remarks from the Panelists

At the start of the speech, Professor Jacobson noted his and others’ surprise at the on-campus reaction to the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks. He argued that the antisemitic trends on college campuses could be traced back to the 2001 Durban Conference, which he pointed to as the start of the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement and explained this was the start of the “racialization” of issues in the Middle East, coinciding with similar trends in academia. Activists have mounted repeated and unsuccessful attempts to get Cornell join the BDS movement.

The law professor also claimed the lack of viewpoint of diversity contributed to the campus response to the terror attacks in Israel. Jacobson pointed to “powerful cultural forces working themselves out on campuses” which he argued were “more lopsided and more anti Israel.” In October, the Student Assembly very narrowly refused to take up Resolution XX, which would have acknowledged Palestinian suffering under “Israeli Apartheid.” History professor Russell Rickford called the Hamas attacks “exhilarating” and has since taken a leave amid criticism.

Alumna Susan Price began her initial remarks by outlining coordinated Pro-Hamas activities happening on college campuses, including “die-ins” and walkouts. In November, around 70 students gathered outside Klarman Hall and conducted a “die-in” protest inside. The previous month, activists spray-painted anti-Israel graffiti on sidewalks near Campus Road.

Price also noted an up-tick in violence and threats made against Jewish students on college campuses. She said, “Since October 7, students have been arrested for making death threats at Cornell and Rutgers. There were multiple assaults at Tulane, Columbia, [and] Harvard. There was harassment, vandalism, disruption and intimidation.” A Cornell junior was arrested earlier this year for making terrorist threats against the campus Jewish community.

In her opening remarks, Price also called on universities to take several steps to address antisemitism on campus. “Universities should adopt the nonbinding International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Universities need to enforce the rules about vandalism, harassment and protests. Protests should not interfere with students’ access to living and learning,” she noted.

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