Israel–Gaza Protests and U.S. Higher Education

The Anti-Defamation League’s 2026 Campus Antisemitism Report Card, released this week, finds that formal policies against antisemitism and disruptive protests have improved at many U.S. colleges even as Jewish students report ongoing hostility on the ground. Assessing 150 institutions on 32 criteria across administrative policies, Jewish campus life, and conduct and climate, the ADL says the share of schools earning A or B grades has more than doubled since 2024, climbing from 23.5% to 58%, with 23 As, 64 Bs, 53 Cs, 6 Ds and 4 Fs this year and nearly half of schools improving from their 2025 marks. The group reports that 94% of the schools now explicitly ban both unauthorized encampments and event disruptions, 46% now spell out antisemitism in their nondiscrimination rules, and 54% have formal entities focused on combating antisemitism and supporting Jewish life. CEO Jonathan Greenblatt credits tougher campus policies, stepped-up oversight by the Trump administration and Congress, and pressure from outside organizations, pointing to Education Department civil-rights letters sent in March 2025 to 60 universities under investigation for antisemitic discrimination and harassment that warned of possible Title VI sanctions. But the report and student testimony highlight a gap between paper rules and daily reality, as Jewish students describe continued anti-Jewish incidents amid protests over Israel and Gaza, illustrating how federal pressure and institutional rule-making have not yet translated into a consistently safer climate.