Press Release

Date: May 1, 2025

Contact: Sarah Stern

[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

(202) 601-7422

EMET Expresses Profound Disappointment with the Actions of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA)

According to the ADL, in one year from 2023 to 2024, antisemitic acts rose to 9,354 incidents across every state of the United States, an increase of 893 percent in harassment, vandalism, and assault over the last 10 years.

These incidents were twice as likely to occur within educational institutions.

And not everyone reports incidents to the ADL.

What began with Edward Said’s publication of “Orientalism” has metastasized from the Middle Eastern Studies programs to the humanities, the social sciences, and even the departments of education.

Today, it is extremely difficult to be a Jew or an Israeli, not only in university classrooms and campuses, but in kindergarten through 12^th grade classrooms.

Jewish and Israeli students have been bullied, threatened, harassed and intimidated. They have been surrounded by keffiyeh clad students-or paid protesters-whose faces have been concealed. Many have been prevented from going to class. Some have reported being surrounded, physically threatened and spat upon.

Many have been made to feel ashamed of their very core identities.

We, at EMET have been working on the Antisemitism Awareness Act, first introduced by former Congressman Ted Deutch, (D-Fl)-and currently the CEO of the American Jewish Committee- for almost a decade, now. The Bill includes the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which has been accepted by no less than 46 nations.

This definition would strongly assist university deans and principals to recognize where the dividing line is between constitutionally protected speech and bullying or harassment.

If one wonders about why this is necessary, please substitute any other minority group for the word, “Jew” or “Israeli”.

Yesterday, Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), brought the Antisemitism Awareness Act up for a vote in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Unfortunately, a series of three amendments led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and one led by Senator Edward Markey, (D-Massachusetts), weighed down and obfuscated the true intention of the Bill.

These amendments have nothing to do with the language of the legislation. For example, Senator Sanders said it is constitutionally protected, free speech to talk about the “devastation in Gaza.”

There is nothing in the legislation that prevents one from addressing concerns regarding the policy of a particular government, just not the existence of that government.

During his tenure as chairman, Sen. Sanders refused to not only to put the Antisemtism Awareness Act up for a vote but also to hold hearings on campus antisemitism. Considering the massive rise in antisemitism since the Oct. 7^th terrorist attack and the steady rise preceding it, EMET condemns the actions of both Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Ed Markey.

Says President and Founder of EMET Sarah Stern, “For far too long, Jewish students have faced daily harassment and persecution at American educational institutions whose leadership has allowed rampant antisemitism to proliferate. It is vital for Congress to pass legislation as soon as possible to help give Jewish students the same protections under the law as any other minority group.”

Please contact your member of Congress to pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act.

EMET is a Middle Eastern policy institute that specializes in Israel and the prevention of antisemitism.
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