In her final weeks as University of California Berkeley Chancellor, Carol Christ is facing backlash from the local Jewish community due to her approach towards the school's Gaza solidarity encampment and the subsequent occupation of a campus building by pro-Palestine activists. Jewish community members are expressing outrage over Christ's concessions to the protesters and her lack of acknowledgement of the antisemitic behavior that took place during the demonstrations.

Christ's attempt to resolve the situation came in the form of a letter sent to the "Free Palestine Encampment," outlining an agreement between the university and the protest leaders. However, the concessions and language used in the letter raised concerns among Jewish leaders who felt that their community's concerns were not adequately addressed.

The following day, several dozen pro-Palestine activists occupied a campus building, displaying the Palestinian flag and defacing the walls with antisemitic graffiti. These actions further heightened tensions within the community.

In response, Christ scheduled a meeting with the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Jewish Life and Campus Climate, which consists of Jewish faculty members, students, and local leaders. However, according to an anonymous attendee, the meeting did not go well, with students and professors expressing anger and frustration. They felt that their concerns had been disregarded and they had been disrespected throughout the process.

Criticism against Christ also stems from her Tuesday letter to the encampment leaders, where she described their engagement as "quite valuable" and commended their efforts to maintain professionalism despite the difficulties. The letter failed to address the hardline language targeting Zionists and instances of antisemitism perpetrated by the activists. Instead, Christ focused on the university's commitment to government officials' efforts for an immediate and permanent cease-fire, while neglecting to mention Israeli hostages, Hamas' attack, or any Israeli victims of the conflict.

Dan Mogulof, assistant vice chancellor for communications, acknowledged that there were individuals within the encampment who engaged in antisemitic expression. Nevertheless, he argued against disengaging with the entire group as it would constitute collective punishment.

The controversy has resulted in the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area expressing "no confidence" in Christ's leadership and calling on the UC Board of Regents to take swift action to restore order and ensure the safety of Jewish campus life.

With Carol Christ's retirement looming, the situation has taken on added significance. The Jewish community feels let down by the chancellor's handling of the protest and the subsequent occupation, and hopes for swift action to address their concerns.