This week, IDF troops eliminated Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. As the mastermind of the October 7th massacre, Sinwar was one of the most dangerous antisemites since Adolf Hitler, and his genocidal fanaticism and crimes inflicted misery on millions in the Middle East. Sinwar’s death brings a measure of justice to his myriad of victims, both Israeli and Palestinian alike.

Some world leaders, however, shamefully glorified Sinwar in the wake of his killing. In a direct conversation with Hamas terrorists, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan lamented Sinwar’s “martyrdom.” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim mourned the “loss of a warrior and defender of the Palestinian people.” Other world leaders must condemn these appalling attempts to lionize evil.

Some university students, too, sang Sinwar’s praises. Cambridge for Palestine (CFP), a UK-based group, shared a post by the Student Federation for a Liberated Palestine (SFLP) that depicted Sinwar delivering a speech, Hamas symbols, and text reading, “Glory to the resistance.” SFLP’s propaganda underscores that support for Hamas on campuses is a global problem not merely limited to the United States.

Meanwhile, vandals scrawled “US Army = Terror Org” and Hamas symbols on a building at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. At the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia, a vandal wrote, “Sinwar lives” on multiple signs. In Krakow, Poland, a police investigation is ongoing after a sign reading, “Jews to the gas” was placed near a Jagiellonian University building. A new SJP-affiliated group calling itself “Drop Hillel” is targeting 

Nearly 1 in 5 incidents recorded this week occurred on a college or university campus, underscoring the pervasive threat of Jew-hatred facing Jewish students.

Jews are also facing violent antisemitism outside of college campuses. In the heavily-Jewish Los Angeles neighborhood of Pico-Robertson, an assailant fired a BB gun toward a kosher candy store. In Philadelphia, police were investigating vandalism and suspected arson targeting Congregation Mikveh Israel. 

The CAM team continues to undertake innovative steps to combat such insidious hatred. On Monday, CAM delivered a presentation to more than 200 law enforcement officers in Virginia discussing extremism and Hamas’ activities in the United States. A total of 700 officers will go through the antisemitism training.

We wish a joyous Simcha Torah with friends and family to all who celebrate!