At Harvard, a Battle Over What Should Be Said About the Hamas Attacks – The New York Times

Within a few days of the George Floyd killing and Russia s war against Ukraine, Harvard and other universities issued statements, claiming solidarity with the victims. Immediately after the Hamas attacks in Israel in which assailants killed women and children Harvard was quiet even as criticism mounted over an open letter from a student coalition.

The letter, from Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, said it held the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.

The backlash to that letter turned Harvard s silence into a roar.

On Monday, Lawrence H. Summers, the former Treasury secretary and former Harvard president, condemned the university s leadership, for not denouncing the pro-Palestinian letter.

In nearly 50 years of @Harvard affiliation, I have never been as disillusioned and alienated as I am today, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Harvard s silence, coupled with the student coalition letter, he said, has allowed Harvard to appear at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel.

On Monday night, and again with more force on Tuesday, Harvard spoke. Its president, Claudine Gay, issued two statements, ultimately condemning the terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas as abhorrent. A spokesman said Dr. Gay was not available for comment.

via www.nytimes.com