Students sit on the steps of Wilson Library on the campus of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US, Sept. 20, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Drake

On November 24, a group of 50 students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) — the majority of whom are Jewish — sent a letter to a US senator, saying that “Jewish students at UNC do not feel safe.”

The letter states:

After October 7th, the day of the [Hamas] terror attack, anti-Jewish rhetoric hit an all-time high. A Jewish student with an Israeli flag on his back had drinks thrown at him in our dining hall. Members of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) threatened several peaceful protesters with violence, and some brandished pocket knives and threatened our members.

A Professor [who is Israeli] was pushed down a flight of stairs by these protesters who proceeded to pour drinks on him. Jewish students across campus are being harassed by student “reporters” so they can continue to publish antisemitic-driven narratives. Posters for SJP and other affiliated organizations across campus depict terrorists flying into Israel and the Hamas missiles aimed at Israel.

A signatory of this letter told me that on October 12, at SJP’s pro-Hamas Day of Resistance Rally at UNC, Jewish students who were silently counter-protesting were approached by two masked activists who allegedly said, “Let’s fight” and allegedly brandished knives.

Before the rally, SJP publicly “recommended” anti-Israel protestors wear “face coverings” to this outdoor event, even though UNC policy states that masks may not be worn to “conceal identity.”

In early December, I was at a local breakfast establishment near campus, and was chatting with a woman who was in town to tour UNC. She told me that her tour guide said UNC’s campus had become unsafe due to SJP rallies.

On Nov. 28, I attended and reported on the event “No Peace Without Justice: A Round-Table Talk about Social Justice in Palestine,” hosted by numerous departments at UNC.

One of the speakers, Dr. Rania Masri, said: “Oct. 7 for many of us from the region was a beautiful day.”

Masri spoke with pride and admiration for Hamas and their paragliders, saying she is not “the least bit apologetic of the violence of the oppressed or the occupied.”

Several panelists openly agreed with her. None challenged Masri, or appeared concerned about her calls to eliminate Israel. Masri went on to say, “Let us demand the eradication of Zionism. Let us have that be our goal.”

The absence of a question and answer period meant that nothing could be challenged by audience members.

On December 10, Masri posted a video on Facebook that glorified Hamas and called Hamas “our heroes.” How could UNC subject Jewish students — or any students — to such a vile and hateful person?

Not only did UNC host this antisemitic event, but plenty of free pizza was provided.

One event sponsor — UNC’s Student Life & Leadership — has even kept the event flier posted on their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

A week before leaving UNC to take a position at another university, UNC’s Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz responded via email to concerned community members without even mentioning the word antisemitism. His weak response profoundly disappointed the Jewish community.

On December 9, UNC faculty published a petition letter titled “UNC Faculty stand against antisemitism, insist on respectful engagement with challenging topics.” It gained over 100 faculty signatures in just its first day.

The letter reviews evidence first reported in The Algemeiner and then states: “Sponsorship by academic units and the failure to disavow the [November 28] event after the fact implicitly sanctions antisemitic speech that harms people and is wholly at odds with the values of our campus community and institution.”

Jessica Smith, Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government, told me:

The purpose of our letter was twofold. First, to ask our colleagues to join us in condemning antisemitic hate speech that occurred at a UNC-sponsored event, calling October 7th a “beautiful day.” And second, to join us in calling for balanced and respectful dialogue on controversial issues … Free speech and academic freedom provide the right to speak. They do not, however, provide a shield from criticism for antisemitic hate speech.

In 2019, UNC hosted a conference that featured an antisemitic rap performance, which led to UNC entering into a Resolution Agreement with the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR), requiring UNC “to ensure that students enrolled in the university are not subjected to a hostile environment.”

On December 7, 2023, a Title VI complaint was filed with OCR. It concludes that Jewish students at UNC should not be “marinated in blatant antisemitism.”

“The fact that the Resolution Agreement executed in 2019 has been violated in 2023 indicates very clearly that stronger remedies are called for today,” it says. “The OCR should impose such remedies as soon as it is able to do so.”

For years, UNC has tolerated and fostered a campus climate that is hostile towards Jewish and pro-Israel students. When will UNC finally act to end this hostility so that Jewish students are afforded — like all other students — a safe and productive campus environment?

Peter Reitzes writes about issues related to antisemitism and Israel.