Antisemitic incidents linked to British universities have skyrocketed by 117% over the past two academic years, according to a report released by the Community Security Trust (CST) and cited by Jewish News. The CST, which monitors antisemitism in the UK, recorded 325 university-related incidents between 2022 and 2024 — a huge rise from the 150 incidents reported during the 2020-2022 period. The most dramatic increase occurred during the 2023/24 academic year, with 272 incidents documented — the highest annual figure ever recorded by the CST. This surge followed the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent conflict in the Middle East. The previous academic year, 2022/23, saw 53 incidents. While CST emphasized that Jewish life on campus remains vibrant, it noted that antisemitism has become a growing challenge for Jewish students, staff, and chaplains, particularly since October 2023. The report highlighted a concerning overlap between antisemitism and pro-Palestinian activism on campuses. Many complaints were related to rhetoric deemed extreme or hostile, including calls to exclude “Zionists” and implicit support for terrorism. Although these actions did not always meet CST’s criteria for antisemitism, they contributed to what many Jewish students and staff described as a hostile campus environment. In April and May 2024, pro-Palestinian encampments were set up at several UK universities to advocate for anti-Israel policies. CST recorded six antisemitic incidents linked to these encampments, including one direct threat and five instances of abusive behavior. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)