Trump Signs Order Aimed at Anti-Semitism on College Campuses

https://time.com/5748668/trump-order-anti-semitism-college/The order comes as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Israeli government for its treatment of Palestinians becomes more prominent on some college campuses.

The Israeli government has urged allies to rein in the boycott movement, while its backers deny anti-Semitism charges and describe themselves as critical of Israeli decision-making, not Jews.

“My administration will not stand for these malicious attacks upon the state of Israel,” Trump said in describing the boycott movement.

The Anti-Defamation League, which has been critical of Trump in the past for comments the group has described as echoing “racist talking points” welcomed the executive order. The group’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, said it would give law enforcement and campus officials an important tool in fighting anti-Semitism.

But critics said the order is based on stalled legislation and is designed less to combat anti-Semitism than to have a chilling effect on free speech and to crack down on campus critics of Israel.