Harvard University agrees to settle antisemitism lawsuits

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor/Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor/Reporter ), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Harvard University agreed to settle two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of not doing enough to protect Jewish students. The lawsuits came about as a result of numerous pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses last Spring.

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The demonstrations took place on campuses across the nation last year after the conflict between Hamas and Israel escalated in Gaza.

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The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel. Hamas militants killed an estimated 1,200 Israeli citizens and took another 250 people hostage.

Israel responded with a ground and air campaign that reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

The conflict left about 47,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

What do the settlements stipulate?

Harvard agreed to make it clear in its policies that targeting Zionists can violate its protection of Jewish students.

Under the deal, the university will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which considers certain cases of anti-Zionist or anti-Israel criticism as antisemitism.

Harvard’s nondiscrimination and anti-bullying policies will include this definition.

What is the reaction to the settlements?

The Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law was one of the plaintiffs to sue Harvard, alleging Jewish students were harassed and discriminated against. It also claimed administrators were deliberately indifferent to that treatment, thus violating part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Its Chairman, Kenneth Marcus, said the agreement will allow Jewish students to learn in an environment free from antisemitic hate, discrimination and harassment.

What happens next?

Harvard said it’s taking robust steps to protect Jewish students and ensure they are embraced, respected and can thrive at the university.

Harvard agreed to pay an undisclosed amount to the plaintiffs but did not admit any wrongdoing or liability. However, similar lawsuits against other schools, including Columbia University, continue.

Tags: antisemitism, Gaza, Hamas, Harvard, Israel, Jewish, Protests

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

HARVARD UNIVERSITY HAS NOW AGREED TO SETTLE TWO LAWSUITS ACCUSING THE IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL OF NOT DOING ENOUGH TO PROTECT JEWISH STUDENTS. THE LAWSUITS CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF NUMEROUS PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES LAST SPRING, AFTER HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL IN OCTOBER OF 2023, SPARKING A WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
HARVARD AGREED TO MAKE IT CLEAR IN ITS POLICIES, THAT TARGETING ZIONISTS **CAN VIOLATE** ITS PROTECTION OF JEWISH STUDENTS.
UNDER THE DEAL, THE UNIVERSITY WILL ALSO ADOPT THE INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ALLIANCE DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM, WHICH CONSIDERS CERTAINS CASES ANTI-ZIONEST OR ANTI-ISRAELI CRITICISM AS ANTISEMITISM. THE DEFINITION WILL NOW BE PART OF HARVARD’S NONDISCRIMINATION AND ANTIBULLYING POLICIES.
THE BRANDEIS CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER LAW WAS ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS SUED HARVARD ALLEGING JEWISH STUDENTS WERE HARASSED AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND THAT ADMINISTRATORS WERE DELIBERATELY INDIFFERENT TO THAT TREATMENT, THUS VIOLATING PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ITS CHAIRMAN, KENNETH MARCUS, REACTED TO THE SETTLEMENT SAYING, “WHEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED, THIS AGREEMENT WILL HELP ENSURE THAT JEWISH STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO LEARN AND THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT FREE FROM ANTI-SEMITIC HATE, DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT.”
FOR ITS PART, HARVARD UNIVERSITY SAID IT IS TAKING ROBUST STEPS TO PROTECT JEWISH STUDENTS. IT SAID IN A STATEMENT, “WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY IS EMBRACED, RESPECTED AND CAN THRIVE AT HARVARD.”
HARVARD LAW PROFESSOR NOAH FELDMAN SAID THE CLARIFICATION AND LANGUAGE WAS NEEDED. HE SAID ITS A BALANCE QUOTE “ PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE, AND YOU NEED A RESPECTFUL COMMUNITY WHERE ALL PARTICIPANTS CANE TAKE PART IN DEBATE WITHOUT BEING BULLIED, HARASSED OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. “
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HARVARD AGREED TO PAY AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT TO THE PLAINTIFFS BUT DID NOT ADMIT ANY WRONGDOING OR LIABILITY. HOWEVER, SIMILAR LAWSUITS AGAINST OTHER SCHOOLS, INCLUDING COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CONTINUE.
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