The dean of Columbia Law School released a statement Monday that addressed the “violence that erupted in Israel and Gaza,” but made no mention of Saturday’s massacre of Israeli citizens that prompted the state to declare war.
“The violence that erupted in Israel and Gaza this past weekend is nothing short of tragic,” Dean Gillian Lester wrote in an email to students, the Washington Free Beacon reported. “I know many in our community have been affected, both directly and indirectly, by the sudden escalation of conflict and the fear and uncertainty that have followed as the situation on the ground continues to evolve.”
Her message made no mention of the surprise attack by Hamas terrorists on Saturday morning that ambushed Israelis on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, murdering, raping and kidnapping 1,200 Israelis, including children and families. At least 22 Americans have been confirmed dead in the Israel-Hamas war.
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Lester issued another statement on Tuesday.
“I want to acknowledge the trauma, fear, and despair that you are feeling in the aftermath of the atrocious terrorist attacks on Israel and innocent civilians by Hamas, and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war,” Lester said in a subsequent email to her first statement, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
Columbia University New York USA, Columbia Law School on Amsterdam Avenue NYC. ((Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images))
Anti-Israeli, pro-Palestinian sentiments have swept elite colleges campuses, including many Ivy League schools across the country, with many student groups placing blame on Israelis for the brutal violence committed against its civilians over the weekend.
The national chapter of the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) posted a “call to action” on social media Sunday, asking their student chapters to hold demonstrations at their colleges in support of the Palestinians on Thursday.
Many campus leaders of U.S. universities remained silent, reluctantly issued statements, or were forced to speak out against terrorist acts undertaken by Hamas following pro-Palestinian student statements.
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Around 30 Harvard University student groups were widely criticized for signing on to a statement blaming Israel for Hamas’ attack.
“We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” The Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups wrote.
Harvard University finally released a statement addressing the war on Monday evening.
“We write to you today heartbroken by the death and destruction unleashed by the attack by Hamas that targeted citizens in Israel this weekend, and by the war in Israel and Gaza now under way,” the statement said.
“The violence hits all too close to home for many at Harvard. Some members of our community have lost family members and friends; some have been unable to reach loved ones,” the statement added. “And, even for people at Harvard who have not been affected directly by the fighting, there are feelings of fear, sadness, anger, and more that create a heavy burden. We have heard from many students, faculty, and staff about the emotional toll that these events are taking.”
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Harvard President Emeritus Lawrence “Larry” Summers, who criticized his former school’s response, also denounced this “delayed” statement, stating it lacked the “moral clarity” of past statements regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Current Harvard President Claudine Gay later addressed the backlash to the statements of pro-Palestine student organizations.
“As the events of recent days continue to reverberate, let there be no doubt that I condemn the terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas. Such inhumanity is abhorrent, whatever one’s individual views of the origins of longstanding conflicts in the region,” her message read.
“Let me also state, on this matter as on others, that while our students have the right to speak for themselves, no student group — not even 30 student groups — speaks for Harvard University or its leadership,” she added.
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