Latest / Antisemitism Watch / Antisemitism Watch - August 22, 2026, 05 AM Eastern

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Antisemitism Watch - August 22, 2026, 05 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to antisemitism watch. I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
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  Speaker 1: today with serious allegations surfacing regarding the Trump administration's efforts
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  Speaker 1: to combat antisemitism. A former Justice Department lawyer has made
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  Speaker 1: whistleblower disclosures alleging that a task force created to address
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism pushed for settlements with prestigious universities even when investigations
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  Speaker 1: were rushed, incomplete, or failed to establish legal violations. According
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  Speaker 1: to reporting by the Associated Press, the complaint obtained by
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  Speaker 1: the AP claims these investigations were designed to strong arm
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  Speaker 1: schools into cutting deals for political purposes, with outcomes allegedly
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  Speaker 1: predetermined without regard to the evidence in a politically mandated
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  Speaker 1: effort to extract money through settlements and funding freezes. The
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  Speaker 1: task force, launched by the Justice Department under then Attorney
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  Speaker 1: General pamb in February twenty twenty five, was reportedly marked
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  Speaker 1: by extraordinary procedural irregularities and a disregard for law and
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  Speaker 1: the constitution, according to the former government attorney's lawyers. The
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  Speaker 1: complaint further alleges that some Middle East Studies faculty were
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  Speaker 1: targeted for their work, and other professors for their Muslim faith.
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  Speaker 1: A Justice Department spokesperson Kirsten Pels stated that the department
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  Speaker 1: stands behind the integrity of its investigations. Representative Jamie Raskin
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  Speaker 1: also sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Harmeat Dillon,
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  Speaker 1: characterizing the investigation as a fake, a prebaked frame up
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  Speaker 1: operation thoroughly political in nature. Turning to Canada, in a
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  Speaker 1: concentrated period of just three weeks, the country has seen
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  Speaker 1: significant antisemitic incidents. Reporting indicates suspected arson attacks on Jewish institutions,
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  Speaker 1: antisemitic chants, arrests, and prosecutions for hate propaganda. These incidents
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  Speaker 1: highlight a disturbing spike in antis Semitic activity, underscoring the
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  Speaker 1: urgent need for vigilance and response. In Germany, the federal
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  Speaker 1: government's Commissioner for Antisemitism, Felix Klein, has issued strong calls
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  Speaker 1: for action as he prepares to leave his post to
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  Speaker 1: become ambassador to the OECD in Paris. According to remarks
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  Speaker 1: published in the Kerlner Statanzijer newspaper and other outlets, Klein
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  Speaker 1: is advocating for a tightening of criminal law. He proposes
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  Speaker 1: a minimum six month prison sentence for anyone openly cheering
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  Speaker 1: for the Palestinian militant group HAMAS at demonstrations. Furthermore, Klein
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  Speaker 1: suggests that foreign nationals convicted of such offenses, if they
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  Speaker 1: lack secure residence status, should be deported after serving their sentence.
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  Speaker 1: He also called for expanded powers for customs authorities to
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  Speaker 1: disrupt the financing of terrorist organizations and emphasize the importance
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  Speaker 1: of continuing funding for successful programs combating antisemitism, such as
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  Speaker 1: those under Germany's Live Democracy program. Crucially, Klein stress that
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism should be a compulsory part of teacher training, stating
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  Speaker 1: any one susceptible to antisemitism has no place in the
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  Speaker 1: teaching profession. He urged state education ministries to ensure Jewish
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  Speaker 1: life is presented positively in school curricula. Klein also warned
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  Speaker 1: of a potential threat of Jewish emigration from Germany should
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  Speaker 1: the alternative for Germany, a f D party, form a
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  Speaker 1: government after upcoming state elections. Australia's Royal Commission on Antisemitism
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  Speaker 1: and Social Cohesion is nearing the end of its hearings,
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  Speaker 1: examining issues including declining satisfaction with democracy, social media polarization,
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  Speaker 1: racism and intercommunity break Down. Commissioner of Virginia Bell has
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  Speaker 1: heard proposals aimed at strengthening social cohesion and combating prejudice.
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  Speaker 1: Experts and advocates such as professors Nicholas Biddle and Matthew
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  Speaker 1: Gray from the Australian National University have presented findings suggesting
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  Speaker 1: that social media plays a role in undermining support for democracy,
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  Speaker 1: and that efforts to counter antisemitism will be limited unless
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  Speaker 1: they also address the platforms where extremist narratives circulate. Gray
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  Speaker 1: recommended targeted interventions, particularly for young Australians with low educational attainment,
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  Speaker 1: and suggested making government agencies, education systems and public communications
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  Speaker 1: more transparent and accountable, especially in disadvantaged communities. Acmd Heegazi,
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  Speaker 1: a strategic adviser, and Joel Lazar, CEO of the Jewish
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  Speaker 1: Climate Network, emphasize the importance of cross cultural communication, stating
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  Speaker 1: humans who know their neighbours don't feel they are threats,
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  Speaker 1: they feel connected to them. They urge the need to
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  Speaker 1: break the cycle. David Gonsky, speaking on behalf of his
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  Speaker 1: twenty four member Antisemitism Education Task Force, mentioned consideration of
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  Speaker 1: a proposal to improve recognition of migrant skills, noting that
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  Speaker 1: underemployment among skilled migrants can create tension on Canadian university campuses.
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: Protesters are reportedly openly glorifying actions and ideologies, contributing to
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  Speaker 1: a rise in antisemitism, alongside broader changes in the country's
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  Speaker 1: demographic and electoral landscape, according to reporting reviewed for this episode.
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  Speaker 1: In Australia, Justice Fagin's legal ruling is addressing the application
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  Speaker 1: of speech codes within Canberra's federal workplaces. According to SBS News,
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  Speaker 1: the Australian Public Service Commission affirms that the International Holocaust
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  Speaker 1: Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism applies in federal workplaces. Finally,
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  Speaker 1: a recent article exploring altrite Islamo fetishism mentions Tucker Carlson
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  Speaker 1: in connection with topics like Andrew Tate and antisemitism. According
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  Speaker 1: to reporting reviewed for this episode, I'm Rachel Adler. Thank
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  Speaker 1: you for listening to Antisemitism Watch. This report was generated
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  Speaker 1: with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important
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  Speaker 1: details with primary sources. M