Antisemitic incidents in the United States rose by about 400% in slightly over two weeks since war broke out in the Middle East after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, advocacy group Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said Wednesday.

THE TAKE

The advocacy group’s data – which showed a 388% rise in antisemitic incidents in the US between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23 over the prior year – comes amid monitoring by American authorities of domestic threats due to the conflict.

THE NUMBERS

The ADL Center on Extremism said preliminary data showed 312 reported US antisemitic incidents from Oct. 7 to Oct. 23, including harassment, vandalism and assault.

About 190 of those were directly linked to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Among examples cited by ADL were alleged physical assault; violent online messages, especially on messaging platform Telegram; and rallies where “ADL found explicit or strong implicit support for Hamas and/or violence against Jews in Israel.”

In the same period of 2022, ADL recorded 64 US antisemitic incidents, of which four were linked to Israel.

Antisemitism was already rising in the US before the war. Nearly 3,700 antisemitic incidents were recorded in 2022, more than in any year since ADL began tracking the issue in 1979.

KEY QUOTE

“When conflict erupts in Israel, antisemitic incidents soon follow in the US and globally,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, urging authorities to provide security and support to Jewish communities.

CONTEXT

The US Justice Department has said it is monitoring rising threats against Jews and Muslims amid the conflict. President Joe Biden has condemned antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack killed over 1,400 people and Israel’s air strikes on Gaza have since killed over 5,700 Palestinians as of Tuesday, according to Gaza officials.

The higher education system in French-speaking Belgium is varied, diversified and accessible to all. Belgium has some of the finest universities and to schools of arts, from Bachelor level to PhD. The influence of scientific research in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation beyond its borders can be seen from the many Nobel prize winners. The country has produced a number of Nobel prize winners – four of them won it for medicine, three for peace, and one for literature, chemistry and physics each.

As per information shared on the official website of Study in Belgium, Wallonie-Bruxelles Campus which works under the authority of Wallonie-Bruxelles International (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of French-speaking Belgium) and the Ministry of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is responsible for ensuring quality teaching and education of the students. 

The agency ensures that international students get useful information and help them in achieving their study plans in Belgium. The network of higher education institutions in the country includes 5 universities, 19 university colleges and 16 schools of arts. 

Cost of study
In French-speaking Belgium, access to higher education is a priority. This is why the Wallonia-Brussels Federation government chooses to subsidise much of the cost of studying. This means that registration fees are fairly low yet the quality of study is excellent. Although the cost of living is relatively low in Belgium, it can vary from one town to another. 

Work while studying
In Belgium, all foreign students, even if from outside the European Economic Area, can work while studying. The only conditions are that they must be enrolled with a higher education institution in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and must have a valid residence permit. If a foreign student works more than 20 hours a week during the school term, the Immigration Office may consider that the studies pursued are no longer the main activity. This could cause problems when trying to renew the residence permit.

Knowing French language is must
Although many of the Master’s degree courses are delivered partially or entirely in English, the higher education institutions of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation are French-speaking. The language used for teaching and the everyday environment is therefore mainly French. By choosing to study in French-speaking Belgium, the student can enjoy a unique opportunity to improve their French.

Universities in Belgium
Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Université de Liège (ULiège)
Université de Mons (UMons)
Université de Namur (UNamur)
Haute École Albert Jacquard (HEAJ)
Haute École Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B) 
Haute École Charlemagne (HECH)
Haute École EPHEC (EPHEC)
Haute École Francisco Ferrer (HEFF)
Haute École Galilée – IHECS (IHECS)
Haute École ICHEC – ECAM – ISFSC (HE ICHEC – ECAM – ISFSC)
Haute École en Hainaut (HEH)
Haute École Léonard de Vinci (HE Vinci)
Haute École libre de Bruxelles – Ilya Prigogine (HELB)
Haute École libre Mosane (HELMo)
Haute École Louvain en Hainaut (HELHa)
Haute École Lucia de Brouckère (HELDB)
Haute École de Namur-Liège-Luxembourg (HENALLUX)
Haute École provinciale de Hainaut – Condorcet (HE Condorcet)
Haute École de la Province de Liège (HEPL)
Haute École de la Province de Namur (HEPN)
Haute École Robert Schuman (HERS)
Haute École de la Ville de Liège (HEL)

If you are thinking about pursuing your education abroad, Argentina can be one of the good options as it provides top-notch institutes and promising career opportunities. Argentina offers a range of scholarships and financial aid tailored specifically for international students, along with valuable support services provided by many universities, including free Spanish language and cultural courses.

Why consider studying and working in Argentina?

Affordable education: Argentina’s public universities provide tuition-free education for international students, while private institutions offer reasonably priced tuition fees compared to many other countries.

Reputable universities: Argentina is home to several prestigious universities, with the University of Buenos Aires consistently ranked among the top educational institutions in Latin America.

Career opportunities: Argentina’s diverse economy opens up job prospects in various sectors, such as technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.

Work permits: Upon completing their studies, international students have the opportunity to apply for work permits, allowing them to gain valuable work experience and potentially obtain permanent residency.

Scholarship opportunities in Argentina:

OAS Scholarships: Offered by the Organisation of American States (OAS) in collaboration with Argentine universities, these scholarships cover tuition costs up to $10,000 (Rs 8,31,716) and include benefits like round-trip flights, book allowances, and subsidies. Applicants need to provide TOEFL or IELTS scores for consideration.

Mente Argentina Scholarships: Mente Argentina, a well-known educational institution, offers scholarships for degree courses, diploma courses, internships, and language classes, with benefits including health insurance, tuition fee coverage, travel expenses, and substantial monetary rewards. Proficiency in Spanish is a requirement.

National University of San Juan Scholarships: Undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduate students at the National University of San Juan can qualify for financial assistance, with exemptions of up to fifty or one hundred per cent of tuition fees, depending on the scholarship.

University of Buenos Aires Scholarships: Undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Buenos Aires can access scholarships covering monthly stipends, tuition, accommodation, and transportation, provided they meet the university’s Spanish language proficiency requirements.

Catholic University of Salta Scholarships: The University of Salta offers scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students, including the Universidad Católica de Salta Easy scholarship. Proficiency in Spanish is necessary to apply.

Holt Scholarships: The Holt Family Foundation, in collaboration with prominent Argentine educational institutions, offers scholarships. Students living in Argentina and those studying there can apply, with each winner receiving a $1,900 (Rs 1,58,021) grant to support their education and associated expenses. Proficiency in Spanish is a requirement for this scholarship. 

(With inputs from World Scholarship Forum)