Critics say the definition Harvard adopted conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism and could chill pro-Palestinian speech.

The two settlements announced this week of antisemitism lawsuits against Harvard are modest steps forward for that university, but the bigotry against Jews is so entrenched at Cambridge and Boston that it will take a lot more than court documents to force change.

Many universities have been reluctant to embrace a definition that, among other things, considers some criticisms of Israel as antisemitic. The university’s decision was part of a lawsuit settlement.