The presidents of the universities of Harvard, of Pennsylvania and of Institute of Technology Massachusetts are under criticism from a audience on the issue at the Capitol on Tuesday.
The US Congress will investigate possible anti-Semitism at Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania
On Tuesday, the president of the prestigious University of Harvard, Claudine Gay, and two other university presidents appeared before a parliamentary committee whose stated objective was to make them “To be accountable” after the “countless anti-Semitic demonstrations.”
The Republican representative Elise Stefanik compared the appeals of some students to a “intifada” – an Arabic term that means “uprising” and refers in particular to the first Palestinian revolt of 1987 against the Israeli occupation – with an exhortation to “genocide against the Jews in Israel and in the world.”
Stefanik demanded Gay to indicate whether this type of slogan was contrary to the code of conduct of Harvard.
“We are committed to freedom of expression, including objectionable, insulting and hateful opinions,” Gay responded.
“When expression turns into behavior that violates our policies, including those regarding harassment and bullying, we take action”. The argument was not to the liking of Stefanik, who demanded Gay’s “immediate” resignation.
The Republican senator Ted Cruz said in X that the response of the president of harvard was “shameful”, while the law professor Laurence Tribe lamented “the hesitant, stereotyped, and strangely evasive responses of “Claudine Gay.”
This Thursday, the House Education Committee considered “unacceptable” the responses of the presidents of the universities to what they called “endemic anti-Semitism” on campuses.
“The members of the commission are deeply concerned about their government and its failure to take measures to offer Jewish students the safe educational environment to which they are entitled.”said the group, which is in the hands of Republicans.
Therefore, a investigation to identify “individual and institutional failures” of these elite academic institutions.
The Harvard president’s response
Several of the leaders interviewed have published statements or videos to clarify their statements.
“Some confused the right to free speech with the idea that Harvard would support calls for violence against Jewish students. I want to be clear: calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any other ethnic or religious group “They are ignoble”said the Harvard president.
The so-called “have no place at Harvard and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held accountable,” he said.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas unleashes passions in several of the most renowned universities in USA. Donors have asked them to clearly condemn student demonstrations pro-Palestinians.
Source: Ambito
