The peril of compromise: How Australian universities are again failing Jewish students
For the past sixteen months, Australia’s Jewish community has faced an alarming rise in antisemitism.
Nowhere has this been more apparent than on university campuses, where Jewish students have been harassed, intimidated, and vilified. Instead of taking decisive action, Australian universities—particularly the Group of Eight (Go8)—have compromised, weakening their response under the guise of “academic freedom” and “institutional neutrality.”
This failure is more than an abdication of responsibility—it is an endorsement of hate. By refusing to take a firm stance, universities have emboldened those who target Jewish students and set a dangerous precedent for all minority groups in Australia.
Australian universities claim to uphold intellectual freedom and diversity, yet for Jewish students, campuses have become increasingly hostile. Universities have permitted anti-Israel encampments where slogans calling for Israel’s destruction are openly chanted—rhetoric that falls under the internationally recognised International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Jewish students have been doxed, harassed, and excluded from student organisations simply for identifying with their heritage or expressing support for Israel.
Pro-Palestine supporters at the University of Melbourne during an indoor protest. Pic: James Ross/AAP
Despite repeated pleas from Jewish students, alumni, and community organisations, universities have been reluctant to act. This hesitation is not due to ignorance but a deliberate choice—to appease anti-Israel activists rather than protect students. Nowhere is this failure clearer than in the Go8’s recent decision to reject full adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism in favour of their own diluted version.
The IHRA definition, adopted by over 1,100 governments and institutions worldwide, acknowledges that anti-Zionism can be antisemitic when it denies Jews the right to self-determination or applies double standards to Israel. Rather than endorsing this gold standard, Go8 universities crafted a version that omits key elements, allowing antisemitism to persist under the pretence of political discourse. This calculated evasion of accountability legitimises antisemitic rhetoric, sends a message that Jewish students’ safety is negotiable, and sets a precedent that allows universities to selectively address racism.
To be clear, the Go8’s adoption of any definition of antisemitism is an important step. It signals an acknowledgement of the problem and a willingness to address it. But it is still a compromise—a diluted response that falls short of what is needed. A compromise on antisemitism is still a concession to hate, and Jewish students deserve more than partial measures that provide loopholes for discrimination to persist.
Would these institutions accept a watered-down definition of Islamophobia? Would they tolerate a framework that justified discrimination against Indigenous Australians under the guise of academic debate? The answer is clear. Yet, when it comes to antisemitism, Jewish students are told to accept less.
The consequences of this compromise are real. By refusing to take a firm stand, universities normalise antisemitism, embolden extremists, and weaken broader anti-discrimination protections. This is not about stifling free speech but ensuring that hate speech is not given a platform under the cover of academic discussion.
The time for half-measures is over. If Australian universities are serious about combating antisemitism, they must fully adopt and enforce the IHRA definition without modifications or exceptions. They must implement strict policies against antisemitic harassment to ensure Jewish students feel safe on campus. Faculty, staff, and student groups who enable antisemitic rhetoric must be held accountable. Universities must uphold consistent standards, treating antisemitism with the same zero tolerance as other forms of hate speech.
Universities are meant to be places of learning, inclusivity, and critical thinking—not havens for bigotry. The Go8’s failure to take real action against antisemitism is a stain on the reputation of Australia’s leading universities. No other minority group would be expected to tolerate this level of institutional negligence, and neither should Jewish students.
It’s time to stop compromising with antisemitism. Jewish students deserve protection—not negotiation.
Michael Gencher is Executive Director, StandWithUs Australia
Qatar’s involvement in American universities has recently been exposed. They’ve donated billions to them and inserted their people as lecturers, etc. It must be investigated if they’ve been “buying” into our uni’s.