Camp Shalom: a Jewish response to pro-Palestinian encampments

The past few months have been a challenging and surreal experience for Jewish students and staff on campus.

Since the start of the semester, there has been an alarming increase in posters, flyers and protest events responding to the Israel-Hamas war. From aggressive chanting of ‘from the river to the sea’, to speeches that equate Zionism with racism and colonialism, and most concerningly, calls to ‘globalise the intifada’.

University of Queensland (UQ), where I study, was one of the universities across Australia to become home to a pro-Palestinian encampment.

I never imagined I would feel threatened or targeted in Australia simply because I was Jewish and Israeli, especially in an education setting where I am meant to be kept safe. But that is how I have felt as a UQ student in recent weeks.

Built against a backdrop of hostility against Jewish staff and students, the Students for Palestine’s encampment demanded UQ remove weapons companies from campus; disclose all ties with Israeli companies and universities; and divest from companies complicit in genocide.

The Gaza encampment at UQ is not genuinely aimed at helping Palestinian people or resolving the conflict. An installation at its entrance proudly shows a map of ‘Palestine’ that entirely omits Israel.

At one point, the flag of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a designated terrorist organisation, was hung. Some UQ students expressed support for Hamas, with comments on social media and during protests declaring their willingness to join the terrorist organisation.

A fourth year student who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their deep frustration: "Even though I only have a semester left in my degree, I am seriously considering transferring to another university that does not support antisemitism… The university's inaction shows their real attitude towards Jews. My family won't be sending my sister to UQ; we'll find a more inclusive university instead".

So, we decided to do something about it.

On April 29, the day that the UQ pro-Palestine encampment began, the first tent at Camp Shalom was pitched on the opposite side of the iconic Great Court.

Our goal was to create a peaceful space where we could assert our right to exist, broaden the diversity of views being expressed on campus, and counter the hostile rhetoric coming from the other side.

We feared that a physical Gaza solidarity encampment on the Great Court would not only further fuel hate and antisemitism on campus but also distort perceptions of Zionism and Jewish people. Associate Professor Yoni Nazarathy warned UQ’s Vice Chancellor on April 26 that the pro-Palestinian encampment’s demands undermine UQ’s commitment to academic and speech freedoms, and could escalate to targeting and harassment. Despite this, the university decided not to directly intervene, so we felt compelled to act.

Camp Shalom requested that UQ disband all encampments and Camp Shalom will immediately comply; do not disclose any ties to Israel past or present; and bolster the Code of Conduct to explicitly prohibit discriminatory and inciteful language, ensuring phrases like "from the river to the sea" and calls for intifada are not tolerated.

Through daily discussions with the university leadership, we were clear in our desire to immediately restore a sense of safety and respect at UQ.

Our concerns were formally discussed in a student-led meeting with the UQ Vice Chancellor on May 10. Initially we believed that meaningful action would soon follow. In a university-wide email, the Vice Chancellor requested that all encampments be dismantled, stating, "we would like the camps to discontinue as soon as possible".

Camp Shalom immediately complied, and we dismantled the encampment on the next day. The pro-Palestine encampment refused and have escalated their rhetoric.

Unfortunately, other messages from the UQ leadership were less clear.

While UQ initially condemned certain hate speech and warned students that they could face disciplinary action for chanting ‘out, out, Israel out’ or using the word ‘intifada’, it has failed to take decisive action on subsequent reoccurrences. Not a single case reported to the university or campus security has resulted in disciplinary measures.

This lack of enforcement has signalled to protestors that there are no limits on hate speech. This week, two outside agitators climbed onto the roof of a building in protest, leading chants calling for an ‘intifada revolution’ with the crowd below. This caused significant distress to staff and students with police arresting the two non-student activists.

Although the university described the protesters' actions as "completely unacceptable" and stated it would be acting, we are still waiting.

It has also not acted to remove anti-Israel posters or stopped the misuse of lecture theatres for events like the "Teach-In: Palestine & The Arab Revolutions", which was held in a space that can only be booked by staff. Hate speech continues to be chanted on campus, and the UQ Union is meeting to consider severing ties with companies associated with Israel and divesting from Israeli entities.

The recent events at the University of Melbourne, where the administration caved to protestors' demands by agreeing to disclose all research partnerships with weapons manufacturers, sets a dangerous precedent that rewards aggressive behaviour. This has likely emboldened a small but vocal group of protestors at UQ, who are pushing for similar concessions.

Rumours suggest that UQ might soon disclose the nature of all ties with defence companies to appease these protestors.

Adding to the sense of alienation and frustration are comments from local politicians, notably Jonathan Sriranganathan who was the Greens candidate for mayor in the 2024 Brisbane City Council election. He hosted an ‘open mic poetry’ event at the Gaza encampment where he explicitly stated, "All welcome! (Except Zionists, terfs etc.)".

Such statements have left Jewish and Israeli students feeling ostracised, particularly those who previously supported the Greens, and reinforces negative stereotypes and antisemitic tropes, like the portrayal of Zionism as colonialism and Jewish people as aggressors.

It is profoundly disappointing to see such actions and narratives prevail, and deeply disheartening to witness such a prestigious institution fail to protect its students from hate and discrimination.

As a UQ graduate and now postgraduate student, I have never felt more excluded from the university community. At the start of every lecture or activity, UQ emphasises its commitment to diversity and inclusion, yet it feels like this commitment applies to everyone unless you're Jewish or Israeli. UQ's silence and inaction are not just disappointing, they are dangerous.

Universities should be places where free expression is protected and all students feel safe and valued, regardless of their background or beliefs. The time for complacency has passed. Now is the moment for UQ to lead by example, take decisive action and reaffirm its commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful campus environment.

Camp Shalom may no longer be physically camped in the Great Court, but our mission continues. We have reignited the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) at UQ for the first time in several years, and in response to the undermining of academic freedom, we established the Australia-Israel Scholar Seminars with the goal of fostering knowledge exchange and research collaboration between Israeli and Australian academics.

We must strive for a better future than is currently being proposed where mutual understanding and constructive dialogue can begin to replace hostility.

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