“I believe we’re the only university in the country that has fired someone for antisemitism,” he said.

Scott was also questioned by Greens senator David Shoebridge about a proposed “civility” rule that would require anyone using a “contested phrase” to make their intended meaning clear. Such phrases could include “from the river to the sea,Palestine will be free” and “intifada”.

The rule was proposed in an external review of the university’s response to the pro-Palestine encampment,which was made public this week. The review’s recommendations,which included other restrictions on student protest,were agreed to in principle by the university’s senate.

It sparked backlash from some academics and students and it was condemned by the NSW Council of Civil Liberties,which on Thursday called for the state government to intervene to prevent the “end of political expression” at the university.

“It is concerning that Mark Scott and university management have failed in their core obligation,which is to make Sydney University a centre of free and open inquiry and debate,” council president Tim Roberts said.

Scott said there were questions around how that rule would work in practice and he said there was “significant work” to be done.

Australia’sspecial envoy on antisemitism,Jillian Segal, told the hearing she hoped to reach an agreement with universities about a definition of antisemitism by year’s end.

She said universities had become a “cauldron” of antisemitism and needed to be turned back into places of respectful debate.

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