Palmetto State News

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned the rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses during a committee hearing today. This follows the October 7 attack on Israel.

In May 2024, Graham led all Committee Republicans in urging Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) to hold a hearing on civil rights violations against Jewish students and the spread of terrorist ideology on college campuses. However, Chairman Durbin opted to hold a general hearing on hate crimes instead. The Democrat-led Senate has not held any hearings specifically addressing the rise in anti-Semitism since October 7, 2023, while the U.S. House of Representatives has conducted at least ten such hearings during that period.

Graham stated, "What I would like this committee to do is deal with the systematic problems that exist regarding what’s going on [at] American colleges today… There is an organized effort to intimidate, harass and physically assault Jewish students. What’s going on today is an effort on multiple fronts to wipe Israel off the map. This is not an academic discussion."

During the hearing, Graham questioned Maya Berry of the Arab American Institute, Kenneth Stern of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, and Rabbi Mark Goldfeder of the National Jewish Advocacy Center.

Graham cited observations from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence about actors tied to Iran's government posing as activists online and encouraging protests while providing financial support to protesters. He asked Stern if it was Hamas' goal to destroy Israel.

Stern responded affirmatively: "Absolutely."

Graham then asked if Hezbollah's goal was also to destroy Israel.

Stern again replied: "Absolutely."

When asked if Iran's goal was similar, Stern confirmed: "Yes."

Turning to Berry for her opinion, Graham received a more nuanced response: "I think these are complicated questions. I really don’t want to talk about foreign policy."

Graham retorted sharply: "No it’s not. There’s nothing complicated about it. That’s the most ridiculous testimony ever given in this committee. If you think it’s complicated to figure out that Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran want to kill all the Jews, I should not listen to anything else you’ve got to say —and I won’t."

Click HEREto watch Graham’s opening statement and HEREto watch his questions.