Students for Palestine activist Yasmine Johnson used her appearance at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion to demolish the argument that student protests for Palestine are antisemitic.

Johnson, who is Jewish, said the idea that campus protests “create a dangerous atmosphere is farcical”. She said the conflation of Palestine solidarity activism with antisemitism is an attempt to silence the anti-genocide movement.

This conflation of antisemitism and anti-Zionism is a feature of the Universities Australia (UA) definition of antisemitism, adopted by 39 universities in February last year.

It came at a time of heightened student activism across the continent, following the establishment of Palestine solidarity encampments on campuses from April to July 2024, and regular rallies in most cities.

Students used these protests to highlight the increasing ties between higher........

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