Taskforce: “Be More Active for the Jewish Community”

Jaap Smit, chairman of the Taskforce: “The right to demonstrate is a great good, also against Israel’s policies. However, this must not come at the expense of our general safety and that of the Jewish community in particular. This was insufficiently considered. When social and physical safety are at risk and legal and societal boundaries are crossed, appropriate action must be taken within the limits of the law.”

The Taskforce on Combating Antisemitism, consisting of 10 members, was established by the cabinet. Its task is to propose measures aimed at the safety of Jewish students in higher education and general safety at stations around sit-in demonstrations. Events at these locations since October 2023 were analyzed and measures taken were mapped. The Taskforce spoke with over 120 stakeholders, including activists, experts, experienced individuals, and administrators.

The Taskforce finds that social safety for Jews in higher education is still insufficient despite efforts. Although most protests are peaceful, Jewish students and staff frequently face incidents, bullying, and intimidation. Some hide their Jewish identity or avoid campus. Other students and staff are also affected and educational activities are hindered.

In this polarized time, the Taskforce appreciates administrators and safety officials who daily face complex dilemmas with risks to their own safety. For example, what to do with a prolonged occupation? Does intervening add fuel to the fire or extinguish it faster?

The Taskforce notes that there are more legal options than initially thought. Lessons can be learned, such as removing offensive texts faster. It also recommends more active enforcement against boundary-crossing behavior: act and speak out! The Taskforce proposes strengthening social safety through training. Cooperation between higher education administrators and the local triangle (mayor, police, Public Prosecution Service) has proven crucial. Continue investing in this cooperation, even in calmer times.

At more than 40 train stations in the past 2 years, sit-in demonstrations against the policy of the state of Israel took place. These actions—a new phenomenon—despite their peaceful nature, cause some general safety issues. There were simultaneous sit-ins at 35 stations and sit-ins with over 1000 participants making much noise (banging pots and pans). This poses risks for enforcement capacity, health (temporary hearing damage), and in case of emergencies. Besides the sit-ins, there were some cross-border protests in The Hague and Amsterdam where demonstrators entered the tracks disrupting public order. The Taskforce proposes good agreements within demonstration law between the local triangle as competent authority and the rail sector (ProRail, NS, and other train operators) about orderly conduct of protests.

Demonstrators have (re)discovered train stations and campuses as venues. For owners and users of these semi-public locations, the exact rules are not always clear. The Taskforce recommends the cabinet, VNG, and specialists intensify the fundamental societal discussion about this. What is allowed where and what is not, regarding demonstrations on semi-public locations, fitting within demonstration law boundaries? This recommendation should also be seen in light of the broader hardening of the action climate, such as protests about nitrogen, migration, corona, and climate.

The Taskforce proposes continued investment in knowledge about Jewish life and antisemitism. Reports and complaints of antisemitism to the police rose sharply from 549 in 2022 to 880 in 2023 and also in 2024. During protests on campuses and train stations, punishable antisemitism was rarely detected by the Public Prosecution Service. However, there appears to be disguised antisemitism, mainly through anti-Zionist expressions that can serve as dog whistles. Besides attention to the vulnerable position of Jews, the Taskforce asks for support for administrators and safety officials who often are the first in the proverbial line of fire when speaking out or acting against antisemitism.

Jaap Smit: “Jews must not be held individually or collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel. Moreover, we must always be vigilant for emerging antisemitism as a canary in the coal mine for societal decay. As a society, we must continue to speak out against antisemitism.”