Critics and Jewish student representatives argue that the apologies offered by university vice-chancellors are long overdue and fail to address the systemic nature of the neglect experienced on campus. For many Jewish students, the prolonged presence of encampments was not merely a matter of protest, but a direct threat to their safety and ability to participate in university life. The argument is that by allowing these encampments to persist, universities prioritized the optics of tolerance and the demands of activists over the fundamental duty of care owed to their own students.
Evidence presented to the Royal Commission suggests that complaints regarding antisemitism were often delayed, minimized, or ignored by university administrations. Students reported being targeted with slurs, excluded from social circles, and forced to hide their Jewish identity to avoid harassment. Critics contend that the university's failure to act decisively against these behaviors created a culture of impunity, where antisemitic tropes and intimidation became normalized under the guise of political protest.
Furthermore, the focus on 'peaceful resolution' is viewed by many as an excuse for administrative inaction. By failing to enforce existing codes of conduct or to remove outside actors who were not part of the university community, institutions effectively abandoned their responsibility to maintain a secure environment. The demand now is for more than just apologies; there is a call for accountability, the adoption of universal definitions of antisemitism, and a complete overhaul of how universities handle reports of hate speech to ensure that Jewish students are never again left to navigate such hostility alone.