Federal probe claims universities are 'legitimizing and amplifying antisemitism'
A federal probe investigating antisemitism in higher education released Tuesday found faculty members are fueling sentiment on college campuses.
The House Committee on Education and Workforce published an antisemitism report focused on higher education.
The report found that faculty members "are legitimizing and amplifying antisemitism on college campuses" after universities across the country dealt with intense protests during the conflict in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. Some demonstrators constructed encampments in order to pressure administrators to meet their demands, often seeking the university’s divestment from institutions related to Israel and Jewish groups.
Lawmakers said many faculty members amplifying such sentiments are associated with Faculty and Staff for Justice (FSJP) in Palestine. They also cited a study saying that campuses with FSJP groups are seven times more likely to experience violence against Jews. FSJP is described by the Anti-Defamation League as a "decentralized national network of anti-Zionist academics and university staff that organizes anti-Israel activities across campuses in the United States."
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According to the House report, faculty members "perpetuate antisemitism through university centers, such as Middle East studies centers, that offer a one-sided view of Israel as a ‘settler colonialist’ enterprise."
"This race-centric paradigm vilifies Israel and denies the legitimate existence of the Jewish state," the report continued. "It also views Jews as White and the privileged ‘oppressor,’ rather than a diverse minority that has been persecuted for thousands of years. Such teachings about Jews and Israel play on historically antisemitic themes such as ‘greed, appropriation, unmerited privilege, and hidden power’ and fuel antisemitism on college campuses."
"Across multiple universities, the Committee discovered many faculty members who promoted antisemitism," the congressional probe found. "Faculty members sought to strip Jewish students of protections against harassment, incited or celebrated violence, and left Jewish students isolated and alienated."
In the wake of the conflict in Gaza, the committee facilitated a hearing in July 2025, prompting higher education officials to testify.
The committee heard from interim Georgetown President Robert Groves, City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Berkeley Chancellor Dr. Rich Lyons and others.
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The Trump administration has stepped in to hold universities accountable for failing to address antisemitism. In November, it announced an agreement with Northwestern University requiring the school to pay $75 million and protect students and staff from any "hostile educational environment directed toward Jewish students."
Other major schools, like the University of Michigan, Columbia University, Emory University and many others, dealt with hostile environments during protests about the war in Gaza.
In light of the Trump administration’s efforts, the committee’s report highlights other issues.
The report said some university leaders have not yet stepped up to take decisive action against antisemitism.
"University leaders are still failing to show strong, decisive leadership to address antisemitism on college campuses," it said. "In every case examined, the Committee found strong leadership to be critical to stopping antisemitic harassment. At many schools, a lack of decisive leadership allowed antisemitism to spread as leaders caved to the radical demands of faculty and student groups."
The report raised concern over student-led groups like Students for Justice in Palestine "driving antisemitic harassment and hostility."
"Groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) are ringleaders for the antisemitic harassment faced by Jewish students on campus, often with the support of faculty members," it stated.
Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine and Students for Justice in Palestine did not respond to a request for comment.