In Dual Open Letters, Thousands of Harvard Students, Alumni, and Faculty Blast Student Groups Israel Statement | News | The Harvard Crimson
Thousands of Harvard affiliates signed a joint statement published Tuesday condemning the deadly attack on Israel by militant group Hamas and calling for the retraction of student group signatures on a statement that held Israel entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.
Following Hamas surprise invasion of Israel Saturday morning, during which militants kidnapped more than 100 Israeli civilians and killed more than 1,000 Israelis according to Israel s Army Radio, Israel declared war, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of a full-scale counteroffensive into Gaza a Palestinian exclave presently controlled by Hamas.
Airstrikes fired as part of the Israeli counteroffensive have killed more than 900 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and more than 30 other student groups faced fierce backlash from students, prominent faculty, and national politicians for signing a statement Saturday saying that Israel s apartheid regime is the only one to blame for the violence.
Following the PSC statement, 17 Harvard student organizations including Harvard Hillel and Harvard Chabad joined around 500 faculty and staff members and more than 3,000 other affiliates, as of Tuesday afternoon, in signing a statement in response calling the PSC s statement completely wrong and deeply offensive.
The response which was primarily coordinated by Jacob M. Miller 25, the president of Harvard Hillel and a Crimson Editorial editor was first circulated Monday and published on Tuesday afternoon.