The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) is an Israeli-funded American non-profit organization that produces academic research, seminars, and conferences to study antisemitism. In recent years, it's research has focused specifically on allegations of antisemitism on university campuses.
Harvard professors Alan Dershowitz and Ruth Wisse were co-chairs of ISGAP's international board. The executive committee of its International Academic Board of Advisors included former Canadian Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler and historian Irving Abella.[1] ISGAP's chairman is Natan Sharansky.[2] Its managing director is Sima Vaknin-Gil, lieutenant colonel and former chief censor of the Israeli Defense Forces.[3]
ISGAP's flagship program is a two-week annual conference of more than 80 scholars of antisemitism, approximately 80% of whom are not Jewish, at Oxford University.[1][5]
File:Corruption Mind Cover 2024-1.pngOver the last decade, institutions of higher education across the United States of America received billions of dollars from foreign donors that were not reported to the U.S. Department of Education, as required.
In March 2024, ISGAP produced a similar report relating to Cornell University which claimed to trace the flow of $1.95 billion USD from Qatar to Cornell University between 2001 and 2023, along with $7.9 billion USD to the Sidra Hospital of the Cornell Weill School of Medicine – Qatar.[12]File:SJP-Cover.png
In June 2024, ISGAP produced reports about funding of campus activities at Columbia and Yale universities,[15] alleging that anti-Zionist faculty had promulgated antisemitic rhetoric and activities on campus. The first report noted that over 100 Columbia faculty members endorsed Students for Justice in Palestine. The report quoted one Columbia professor who described the October 7 attacks as "awesome" and "astounding".[16] The second report[17] alleged that Yale received $15 million from Qatar between 2012 and 2023 while reporting only $284,668.[18]File:SA Report Final 121124-dragged.jpg
In November 2024, ISGAP published a report alleging that the ANC was approximately $30 million in debt before bringing its case against Israel; the ANC subsequently received a sudden influx of unidentified cash after a series of meetings with Hamas, Iranian, and Qatari leaders; and ANC leaders refused to disclose the source of the funds, which provided approximately $30 million.[19][20]
Funding
In 2019, the ISGAP received a grant of US$1.3 million, to be distributed over three years, from the Israeli government.[1] In 2020, The Forward reported that almost 80% of the ISGAP's funding in 2018, totaling $445,000, had come from the government of Israel, income which the think tank did not divulge.[21]
Reports and Publications
ISGAP is dedicated to producing rigorous research and investigative reports that examine the roots, manifestations, and policy implications of global antisemitism. These publications serve as essential resources for scholars, policymakers, and the public in confronting contemporary challenges in academia and beyond.
Flagship Investigations
Follow the Money: Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood Funding of Higher Education in the United States – A groundbreaking investigation into undisclosed foreign funding influencing academic institutions.
Policy Paper Series – Providing analysis and strategic recommendations on combating antisemitism through public policy.
Flashpoint and Occasional Paper Series – Scholarly articles and critical analyses on pressing issues related to antisemitism and academic freedom.
A comprehensive collection of ISGAP’s research and publications is available on ISGAP's official website.
Scholars
ISGAP collaborates with a global network of scholars and researchers who contribute to its mission of studying and combating antisemitism. Some of the notable scholars affiliated with ISGAP include:
Senior Research Fellows
Lawrence Amsel – Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University
Yehudit Barsky – Senior Research Fellow, ISGAP, New York City
Edith Bruder – Professor, French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS); UNISA-University of South Africa; SOAS University of London
Phyllis Chesler – Professor Emerita, City University, New York
Richard Landes – Associate Professor Emeritus of History, Boston University
Research Fellows
Navras Aafreedi – Assistant Professor of History, Presidency University, India
Aaron David Fruh – President, Israel Team Advocates International, U.S.
Mary J. Ainslie – Associate Professor in Media and Culture, University of Nottingham Ningbo China Campus
Sunni Ali – Associate Professor, Northeastern Illinois University
David Bernstein – Founder, Jewish Institute for Liberal Values
