Prominent Harvard alumni are expressing outrage at a pro-Palestinian statement issued by a coalition of more than 30 Harvard student organizations that blamed Israel for surprise Hamas terrorist attacks over the weekend. The letter, authored by a group called the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, said they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" following decades of occupation, adding that "the apartheid regime is the only one to blame."
Brian Camenker, president of MassResistance, credits Harvard alumni for bringing the statement to the public's attention.
"It's beyond description how hideous this letter was … and not only did they make it public, but Harvard didn't want to comment on it," he tells AFN. "[But] they finally had to after they got a lot of really bad press from a lot of famous left-wing Harvard alumni."
Camenker contends the sentiment of the statement reflects the anti-Israel/anti-Jewish mentality at Harvard.
"I don't think people understand how vicious these kids are," he exclaims. "We all know how horrible and sickening that violence against these families was, and [these students] think it's fine. That's their mentality; I think they would do it to us if they could. That's the mentality of the people that Harvard lets in as students."
Dr. Naya Lekht of The Institute for the Study of Global Studies of Antisemitism & Policy offers her explanation why Harvard students would support Hamas.
"If you've been indoctrinated and taught to see the world in one particular way, to decide who is good or who is bad based on who's oppressed and who isn't – every time … you see an underdog, you'll think they must be good, they must be oppressed; and [you'll think] the one who's in power must be an oppressor," Lekht tells AFN.
Camenker says even the left-wing Boston media has expressed outrage at the letter.
If you're going to teach, teach the truth
Not to be outdone, faculty and students at the University of Virginia, the University of California-Berkeley, and – yes – Harvard have denounced Israel as "warmongers" in the war that was actually initiated by Hamas. Ryan Walters, state superintendent of education in Oklahoma, is challenging educators to teach truth to students.
"It's incredibly sickening to see members of faculties of higher-ed institutions in our country talk about Israel deserving this or prompting this – it's absolutely sick," he tells AFN. "We should not allow these woke faculty members to try to draw moral equivalencies between terrorism and a nation state like Israel."
Walters has ordered a review of textbooks in Oklahoma to make sure students in The Sooner State are being taught the truth about Israel and its role in world history.
"You see so much of this stemming from higher ed to believe this anti-Semitism, this belief that Israel as a nation state doesn't have a right to exist in that area of the world," he states. "… This should be universally denounced by everyone. No one should live in fear in the way that they're doing right now."
The state superintendent contends if young people are taught the truth about Israel, they will come to understand that terrorist attacks have no place in society.
10/13/2023 - Comment from Dr. Naya Lekht added.
