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Antisemitism Watch - August 20, 2026, 05 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to antisemitism. Watch I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
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  Speaker 1: today with developments in higher education in Portugal. Authorities are
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  Speaker 1: investigating serious allegations of antisemitism at the University of Coimbra
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  Speaker 1: and other faculties. Reporting from August thirteen indicates that between
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  Speaker 1: July twenty twenty four and May twenty twenty six, posters, stickers,
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  Speaker 1: and graffiti containing antisemitic material and incitement were displayed. The
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  Speaker 1: Embassy of Israel in Lisbon welcomed the investigation. The materials
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  Speaker 1: included phrases like Zionists should carry a certificate to prove
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  Speaker 1: their human According to reporting reviewed for this episode, a
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  Speaker 1: doctoral student bar Herel faced death threats and an alleged
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  Speaker 1: physical assault for displaying a small Israeli flag on his backpack.
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  Speaker 1: The University of Coimbra has a historical connection to the Inquisition,
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  Speaker 1: an institution that persecuted Jews. This investigation follows a pattern
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  Speaker 1: of rising anti Israel and antisemitic rhetoric on campuses globally
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  Speaker 1: since October seventh, twenty twenty three. In parallel, according to
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  Speaker 1: reporting reviewed for this episode, the US Education Department is
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  Speaker 1: investigating allegations that California colleges have allowed or perpetuated antisemitism
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  Speaker 1: against students. In Philadelphia, police are seeking a man believed
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  Speaker 1: to have vandalized a prominent art installation outside the Whitesman
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  Speaker 1: National Museum of American Jewish History on August thirteenth. Surveillance
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  Speaker 1: video captured the incident, involving the Yo Slash O Y sculpture.
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  Speaker 1: While the vandalism has been cleaned up, the museum stated
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  Speaker 1: in a statement that at a time of heightened antisemitism
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  Speaker 1: and hatred directed at Jews in America and around the world,
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  Speaker 1: incidents like this are deeply troubling, but they will not
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  Speaker 1: intimidate us or change who we are. Mayor Cherrell Parker
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  Speaker 1: also condemned the act urging unity against such religious hatere
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  Speaker 1: This incident occurs against a backdrop of rising antisemitism, with
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  Speaker 1: Pennsylvania ranking fourth nationally for such incidents in recent years,
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  Speaker 1: according to a twenty twenty five report from the Anti
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  Speaker 1: Defamation League. Turning to Australia, during testimony at the Royal
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  Speaker 1: Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, a witness questioned the
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  Speaker 1: legitimacy of Israel's existence and characterized Zionism as a form
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  Speaker 1: of violent extremism. Rida Jabri Markwell, a Sydney based solicitor
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  Speaker 1: and researcher, stated that she does not believe any state
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  Speaker 1: that relies on unlawful occupation and apartate in genocide could
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  Speaker 1: be said to be a legitimate state. She further testified
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  Speaker 1: that Zionism, which the Anti Defamation League defines as a
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  Speaker 1: movement for Jewish self determination and statehood, is a form
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  Speaker 1: of violent extremism due to its reliance on dehumanization of
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  Speaker 1: out groups. This exchange, which included tense cross examination by
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  Speaker 1: council representing Jewish organizations, was reported by Emergency Backstory newsletters
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  Speaker 1: and others. Finally, in broader discussions about combating antisemitism, reporting
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  Speaker 1: indicates a debate on the effectiveness of current strategies. An
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  Speaker 1: article reviewed for this episode highlights that fighting antisemitism in
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  Speaker 1: isolation may be insufficient for ensuring Jewish safety. The piece
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  Speaker 1: notes the involvement of figures like doctor Gilmerciano, head of
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  Speaker 1: the Israeli Foreign Policy Institute MITVIM, in these ongoing conversations.
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  Speaker 1: I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.
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  Speaker 1: This report was generated with AI assistance and May contain inaccuracies.
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  Speaker 1: Please verify important details with primary sources.