The European Parliament hosted a high-level conference on “Facing the Academic Front Against Israel” on 3 December 2025, bringing together Members of the European Parliament, Israeli officials, diplomats, academics, and civil society leaders to address the alarming rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel hostility within the academic sphere across Europe.
Co-hosted by MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR, Netherlands) and MEP Hendrik Dahl (EPP, Denmark), the event examined the growing trend of university boycotts, harassment of Jewish students, and institutional discrimination against Israeli academics. The program featured contributions from MK Moshe Tur-Paz, Chairman of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus; Hanna Veiler, President of the European Union of Jewish Students; Dr. Amanda Kluveld, Associate Professor at Maastricht University; Ralph Pais of the Jewish Information and Documentation Centre in Belgium; and Leo van Doesburg, Executive Director of IAF Europe.
Speakers addressed the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in European academic environments and the urgent need for policymakers to confront ideological hostility that threatened both academic freedom and student safety.
In advance of the event, Leo van Doesburg emphasized the seriousness of the issue: “The enormous increase in antisemitism on university campuses and throughout the academic sphere in relation to Israel clearly demonstrates how the thin line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism has disappeared. Many Western European universities are failing to ensure a safe environment for Jewish students and are excluding Jewish professors. At present, more than 80 universities within the EU have partially or completely severed ties with Israeli universities or researchers. Universities that discriminate against Jewish and/or Israeli students and professors should have their EU funding reviewed since it violates the core principles on which the European Union was founded.”
MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen, who chairs the European Parliament Israel Allies Caucus, issued a strong warning: “Universities all across Europe cut ties with Israeli partners, Jewish scholars are under threat and students occupy university campuses to protest against Israel. Unjustified and extremely worrying. We need to face this rise of anti-Semitism and I call upon the European Commission and Member States to face the academic front against Israel and counter this pattern.”
Speaking on behalf of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, co-chair MK Moshe Tur-Paz underscored the need for action: “Across many campuses, Jewish and Israeli students and staff are facing harassment and intimidation instead of genuine debate. Too often, universities have become places of fear rather than centers of learning. This conference is a timely and necessary step to confront these threats, defend academic integrity, and ensure safety for all. We hope it will raise awareness about the seriousness of this problem and the urgent need to act.”
Josh Reinstein, President of the Israel Allies Foundation, added: “For years, we have witnessed how extremist movements have exploited academic institutions to spread anti-Israel narratives and normalize antisemitism. This conference sends a powerful message that Europe’s leaders will not stand idly by. Strengthening cooperation between lawmakers, faith leaders, and civil society is essential to ensuring that universities remain places of truth, freedom, and education.”
Representing Jewish student communities across Europe, Hanna Veiler noted the lasting impact of campus antisemitism: “The tsunami of antisemitism that Jewish students experienced over the past two years has not just affected the way we look at our future. It changed the way we considered ourselves to be equal European citizens.”
The conference called for stronger protections for Jewish students, renewed academic cooperation with Israeli institutions, and a firm European response to discriminatory boycotts that undermine fundamental democratic principles.