JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday condemned pro-Palestinian student protests in US universities as "horrific", saying the demonstrations "have to be stopped".
Universities across the United States -- Israel's close ally and top provider of military assistance -- have been rocked by demonstrations over Israel's relentless assault on Gaza, triggering mass arrests and shutting down classes at some of the most prestigious US institutions.
"What's happening in America's college campuses is horrific," Netanyahu said in a statement, echoing concerns voiced primarily by supporters of Israel over the safety of Israeli or Jewish students and faculty as the protests intensify.
Some have pointed to anti-Semitic incidents and argued that university leaders are enabling intimidation and hate speech.
"Anti-Semitic mobs have taken over leading universities," claimed Netanyahu.
"They call for the annihilation of Israel. They attack Jewish students. They attack Jewish faculty," he said.
"It's unconscionable. It has to be stopped."
He argued the "response of several university presidents was shameful" and said more needed to be done.
"What is important now is for all of us, all of us who... cherish our values and our civilisation, to stand up together and to say, 'enough is enough'," Netanyahu said.
Universities have become the focus of intense cultural debate in the United States since Hamas's October 7 attack and Israel's overwhelming military response, as a humanitarian crisis grips Gaza.
Hamas's attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, Israelis and foreigners, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel's military offensive has killed at least 34,262 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
