Parents say swastikas and homophobic remarks appeared in middle school yearbooks at the United Nations International School, months after another alleged swastika incident and amid lawsuit by Jewish teacher claiming school became hostile to Jews and Israelis Related TopicsThe United Nations International School in New York has opened an internal investigation after hate speech was printed in middle school yearbooks, prompting anger among Jewish and Israeli parents who say the case raises fresh questions about how the prestigious institution handles antisemitism on campus.Parents who contacted ynet said swastikas and homophobic statements were printed in the yearbooks. They described the incident as the latest in a series of events that, in their view, point to a deeper problem at the school.1 View gallery The United Nations International School in New York (Photo: UNIS)UNIS President Lupe Todd-Medina told ynet: “We are shocked by the hateful language found in the junior school yearbooks and unequivocally condemn identity-based harm. Upon learning of the incident, school leadership immediately confiscated the remaining yearbooks and launched a comprehensive investigation. Hateful language violates our core mission, and we are committed to addressing this matter with the utmost seriousness, while reinforcing our expectations for respect, responsibility and inclusion.”The response was met with anger and distrust among Jewish and Israeli parents at the school. Israeli diplomats whose children attend UNIS and who spoke with ynet said they expect a school that carries the UN name and presents itself as an institution committed to tolerance, equality and mutual respect to act with full transparency, rather than rely on general language about “identity-based harm.”They said that when Nazi symbols or antisemitic messages are involved, the administration should say so explicitly, explain how the incident occurred and detail what steps were taken against those responsible.“We are no longer surprised by anything,” one parent said. “But the feeling is that it is no longer possible to present every such incident as an isolated malfunction, but as a deep problem that requires a real examination.”The current case comes several months after a previous incident at the school, in which a swastika was reportedly found in the boys’ locker room. That incident also sparked concern among Jewish and Israeli families in the school community, which includes children of diplomats, UN employees and wealthy New York families. Tuition at the school reaches about $50,000 a year.The latest controversy also comes against the backdrop of a lawsuit filed earlier this year by Nadine Sabbagh, a Jewish French teacher who taught at UNIS for 30 years. In the lawsuit, Sabbagh claimed the school had become a hostile environment for Jews and Israelis, and that the administration ignored complaints about antisemitism and harassment by a colleague.The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that a Muslim French teacher made statements claiming that “Jews are motivated only by money” and that “Jews control the school and all of New York.”The complaint also included claims by an Israeli teacher at the school, who said she was required to “answer for” the State of Israel after a colleague showed her images of IDF soldiers shooting children, which she said appeared to be AI-generated. It was also alleged that materials displayed as part of the school’s “peace walls” included QR codes leading to websites of pro-Hamas organizations, and that students involved were not disciplined.UNIS has rejected the allegations in the lawsuit, saying it firmly stands against “baseless accusations” and that the matter will be addressed through the legal process.Comments