CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS: There was a wave of furious online pushback after a group of 31 Harvard University student organizations released a pro-Palestinian statement, holding Israel “entirely responsible” for the Hamas attack.
Nearly 900 Israelis have died and another 2,600 were gravely injured after Palestinian militant organization Hamas breached the country's defenses with a barrage of nearly 2000 missiles and ground attacks on Saturday, October 7.
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On Sunday, October 8, the students’ organizations condemned Israel by releasing a letter to the public as a 'Joint Statement by Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups on the Situation in Palestine.’
The organizations signing the letter included the African American Resistance Organization, Amnesty International, 'Harvard Act on a Dream,' groups of Muslim and South Asian students from the Kennedy and Chan schools, the Harvard Islamic Society, and Harvard Jews for Liberation.
Why are Harvard student groups condemning Israel?
In the letter, the students’ organizations claimed that the ongoing Hamas attack “did not happen in a vacuum” and that the Israeli government has forced Palestinians to live in “an open-air prison for over two decades.”
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“We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” the letter further stated, according to Daily Mail.
The groups then claimed that Israel is forcing Palestine to live in an apartheid state, a notion that has been forwarded by left-leaning academics before.
“The apartheid regime is the only one to blame. Israeli violence has structured every aspect of Palestinian existence for 75 years,” they continued.
“From systematized land seizures to routine airstrikes, arbitrary detentions to military checkpoints, and enforced family separations to targeted killings, Palestinians have been forced to live in a state of death, both slow and sudden,” they continued.
As we reach week 3 of our #keffiyehthursday campaign, we’ve seen more campuses from the US, Canada, and UK join us in bringing visibility to Palestinians by wearing our keffiyehs. Whether a student or not, share this and get your keffiyeh ready for next week - it’s only starting!
— Harvard PSC (@HarvardPSC) February 17, 2022
The groups' final demand in the letter called for an end to the "ongoing annihilation of Palestinians." This despite that fact that the current war was triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7.
“Today, the Palestinian ordeal enters into uncharted territory. The coming days will require a firm stand against colonial retaliation. We call on the Harvard community to take action to stop the ongoing annihilation of Palestinians,” they concluded.
Harvard organizations blasted for criticizing Israel amid ongoing conflict
As Harvard organizations' joint letter surfaced on Twitter, many ordinary and prominent people, including Rep Elise Stefanik and Ted Cruz, slammed them for their pro-Palestine stance amid the ongoing war.
The New York representative, who graduated from Harvard in 2006, slammed the letter, tweeting, “It is abhorrent and heinous that Harvard student groups are blaming Israel for Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attacks that have killed over 700 Israelis.”
“Any voice that excuses the slaughter of innocent women and children has chosen the side of evil and terrorism. I am calling on the leadership of @Harvard to immediately publicly condemn these vile anti-Semitic statements,” she continued.
It is abhorrent and heinous that Harvard student groups are blaming Israel for Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attacks that have killed over 700 Israelis. Any voice that excuses the slaughter of innocent women and children has chosen the side of evil and terrorism.
I am calling on the…
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) October 9, 2023
Princeton professor Robert George also wrote “31 — yes, 31 — Harvard organizations have declared that the murders, rapes, kidnappings, and other atrocities committed by Hamas against innocent people are in no way the fault of Hamas, but are rather entirely the fault of … Israel.”
31--yes 31--Harvard organizations have declared that the murders, rapes, kidnappings, and other atrocities committed by Hamas against innocent people are in no way the fault of Hamas, but are rather entirely the fault of ... Israel. Something is deeply, deeply wrong in academia.
— Robert P. George🇻🇦🇺🇸🇮🇱🪕 (@McCormickProf) October 9, 2023
Meanwhile, Senator Cruz, who attended Harvard Law School, wrote on Twitter “What the hell is wrong with Harvard? Given the choice between standing with Israel or supporting terrorists who are raping, kidnapping & killing thousands of women & children…31 student groups choose the terrorists.”
What the hell is wrong with Harvard?
Given the choice between standing with Israel or supporting terrorists who are raping, kidnapping & killing thousands of women & children…31 student groups choose the terrorists.
Their blazing hatred & antisemitism utterly blinding.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 9, 2023
Some furious netizens also didn’t hold back after the letter went viral. “Even Hamas doesn’t believe these talking points. These are the same students who think words are violence. I’m so ashamed. I’m done. Sick to my stomach,” one user wrote.
“A lot to be embarrassed about these days in academia. They really want a year zero without any understanding of how that plays out,” a second user slammed
“How on earth are there that many registered pro Palestinian groups at Harvard? We literally had like 3 at Stanford 15 years ago at the height of the 2nd intifada with a similar sized (or larger) student body,” the third user asserted.
“The "woke madrasa" metaphor for Harvard appears a bit on-the-nose,” another one said.
Even Hamas doesn’t believe these talking points. These are the same students who think words are violence. I’m so ashamed. I’m done. Sick to my stomach.
— Yael Bar tur (@yaelbt) October 8, 2023
A lot to be embarrassed about these days in academia. They really want a year zero without any understanding of how that plays out…
— Carl (@saudisandbox) October 8, 2023
How on earth are there that many registered pro Palestinian groups at Harvard? We literally had like 3 at Stanford 15 years ago at the height of the 2nd intifada with a similar sized (or larger) student body.
I’m guessing many of these are Potemkin village cutout groups.
— Nathan Mintz (@mintz4assembly) October 8, 2023
The "woke madrasa" metaphor for Harvard appears a bit on-the-nose
— Jeff Giesea (@jeffgiesea) October 8, 2023
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