Antisemitism is not the primary or only problem to address on US campuses, and Islamophobia and antisemitism are not equivalent forms of discrimination at this moment. This is due to two reasons: compulsory Zionism and the weaponization of antisemitism by US Congress. First, Zionism is normalized in the United States, or as Umayyah Cable states, Zionism is compulsory. Cable writes that compulsory Zionism not only manifests as a hegemonic discourse that requires and naturalizes unwavering support for Israel, but it also “functions to obscure Palestinian intellectualism, labor, and existence.” Accordingly, US government support for Israel and Zionism results in a clear condemnation of antisemitism, but the same cannot be said for Islamophobia. Since 2014, more than thirty US states have created anti-BDS laws to prevent individuals, organizations, and businesses from boycotting, divesting from, and calling for the sanction of Israel. Such laws normalize protecting Zionist interests in the United States. There is no equivalent law in place to protect Palestinian human rights.

DEFINE: Introduces 'compulsory Zionism' as a concept: a hegemonic discourse normalizing unwavering support for Israel and obscuring Palestinian existence. XREF: Connects to broader academic critiques of Zionism as naturalized ideology in American civic and political life. SEED: The asymmetry between anti-BDS laws (30+ states) and the absence of Palestinian-rights protections offers a strong data-driven essay angle. Builds on: "DEI policies can be weaponized against protected speech"

Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophob…, loc. 25