American universities grapple with response to Hamas attacks

(NewsNation) — In the wake of the recent attacks in Israel, some of America’s most prestigious universities find themselves in a quandary over how to react to the unfolding war while many student organizations have been showing support for Palestine. 

Harvard University saw more than 30 student organizations sign a letter over the weekend, blaming the Israeli regime entirely for the violence. Their statement called for a resolute stance against “colonial retaliation” and urged the Harvard community to take action against the ongoing Palestinian suffering, The Harvard Crimson reported. 

“For the last two decades, millions of Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to live in an open-air prison. Israeli officials promise to ‘open the gates of hell,’ and the massacres in Gaza have already commenced,” the statement reads. 

Harvard’s response, issued two days later, did not address the students’ claims or condemn Hamas for its actions. Instead, it offered sentiments about the shared values of the Harvard community.

Former Harvard President Larry Summers expressed his disappointment at the university’s response, emphasizing the need for moral clarity when condemning terrorism.

Three days later. Harvard issued a clarification, condemning the inhumanity of the attacks and disassociating itself from the students’ claims. 

The National Students for Justice in Palestine comprises multiple chapters at universities across the nation, and they have scheduled a “Day of Resistance” for Thursday. 

“Catching the enemy completely by surprise, the Palestinian resistance has captured over a dozen settlements surrounding Gaza along with many occupation soldiers and military vehicles. This is what it means to Free Palestine: not just slogans and rallies, but armed confrontation with the oppressors,” the organization wrote on Instagram. 

At New York University, the president of the Student Bar Association publicly attributed blame to Israel for the Hamas attacks in a newsletter. The law student then lost their job offer from a law firm. 

Georgetown University’s president referred to the events as an “unprecedented terrorist attack.” But a group called ‘Law Students for Justice in Palestine’ reaffirmed their support for Palestinians and accused the university of dishonesty in claiming victimhood for an apartheid regime. 

Cornell University’s response was notably delayed, and when it finally arrived, it referred to Hamas as militants rather than terrorists. 

Later, Cornell apologized for its statement, acknowledging the omission of a strong condemnation of Hamas as terrorists. 

According to Palestinian authorities, Gaza has reported 1,055 fatalities and 5,184 injuries resulting from Israeli retaliatory attacks. On the Israeli side, the conflict has claimed at least 1,200 lives, with more than 2,900 individuals suffering injuries due to actions by Hamas forces. 

Roughly 6,400 Palestinians and 300 Israelis had been killed in the ongoing conflict since 2008, not counting the recent fatalities, according to the United Nations.

The White House has provided a stark contrast to the university responses, issuing a clear and unequivocal condemnation of the attacks.  

Hamas continues to hold approximately 150 hostages, including some American citizens. Additionally, they have issued an ultimatum, threatening to carry out executions each time Israeli forces target Gaza civilians without warning. 

The number of Americans who have died in the Israel-Hamas war now stands at 22, the State Department said Wednesday, an increase from the 14 reported Tuesday.