The coalition of university officials released a statement supporting Israel.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas is sparking renewed debate on American education campuses, where emotions are running high and administrators are under pressure to make their position known.
Now a multifaith coalition of colleges and universities in the United States has released a public statement in support of Israel and the opposition to Hamas. This action is in response to criticism of several top schools for their handling of communications about the recent terrorist attacks.
According to Axios News, The founders of this statement include the presidents of Jewish schools (Yeshiva University), Catholic schools (University of Notre Dame), HBCUs (Dillard University), Christian schools (Baylor University), and public systems (SUNY and CUNY).
LIVE Updates: Hundreds dead in Gaza hospital, Biden to arrive in Israel today
“We are shocked and sickened by Hamas’s cruelty and inhumanity,” the statement read.
“Killing innocent civilians, including babies and children, raping women and taking the elderly hostage are not actions of political dissent, but actions of hatred and terrorism. The foundation of all universities is the pursuit of truth, and it is times like these that demand moral clarity,” it continues.
“Just like the fight against ISIS, the fight against Hamas is a fight against evil.”
“We, the presidents and chancellors of universities and colleges in the United States of America and the world, stand with Israel, with the Palestinians suffering under Hamas’ brutal rule in Gaza, and with all people of moral conscience.” , it said.
“We are building a broad coalition that can articulate inhumanity when we see it,” said Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University. “This is the greatest atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust and one of the most significant attacks on international terrorism.”
Berman declined to specifically address the impact Israel’s military response is having on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, other than to repeat the statement’s mention of suffering “under the brutal rule of Hamas.”
