Harvard reaches settlement with Jewish organizations that had sued for failure to adequately combat antisemitism on campus
Under the settlement, the university will pay compensation to two groups and pledged to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism and to take more drastic steps to protect Jewish students.

Pro-Hamas protest at Harvard University.
Harvard University reached a settlement with two Jewish organizations that had sued it for failing to adequately protect Jewish students.
As agreed with the Students Against Antisemitism organization and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, which had sued the university, Harvard will pay compensation to both organizations and agreed to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, so any manifestation of "double standards" toward Israel, such as calling it a "racist project" on campus, will be considered an antisemitic act.
While there is no admission of responsibility by Harvard in the agreement, it constitutes a major shift in the university's institutional policy on anything related to antisemitism and Israel.
Harvard also pledged to establish a partnership with an Israeli university, to post a statement on its website affirming that "for many Jewish people, Zionism is a part of their Jewish identity," and to consider acts that exclude Zionists from an open event or call for their death as antisemitic.
In addition, under the terms of the agreement, Harvard will create a new mechanism to address allegations of antisemitism. In this regard, it will hire an expert who will oversee everything related to this issue.
It will also allow the Brandeis Center to organize events in defense of Israel on campus and three alumni to lead a debate on Jewish-Israeli democracy.
Agreement after months of antisemitic incidents
The agreement comes after months of a spate of pro-Hamas protests on campus following the Oct. 7 massacre, during which a number of antisemitic incidents occurred.
These events led to the resignation of Claudine Gay, then-president of Harvard, who left her post after facing harsh criticism for the handling of the institution's authorities in the face of hateful incidents against Jews on campus.
Kenneth Marcus, founder and president of the Brandeis Center and former U.S. assistant secretary of education, said the agreement will ensure that Jewish students can study in an environment free of antisemitism and harassment.
Harvard's response
A Harvard spokesperson said, "We are committed to ensuring our Jewish community is embraced, respected, and can thrive at Harvard." He added: "We are resolute in our efforts to confront antisemitism and will continue to implement robust steps to maintain a welcoming, open, and safe campus environment where every student feels a sense of belonging. Today’s settlement reflects our dedication to this mission."