Congresswoman Lucy McBath, a Democrat from Georgia, said yesterday it is “up to all of us to learn more” about the roots of antisemitism and the brutality of Hamas terrorists.
She urged the college presidents who came before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce to reflect on the horrific Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas. Republicans and Democrats on the committee echoed her impassioned appeal.
Any debate about the war in Israel and Gaza must start with this heartless ambush.
The Herald has learned that 300-plus Harvard University students, deans, and professors attended a 46-minute Israel Defense Forces showing of footage of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack Monday evening on the Cambridge campus.
It’s the same gruesome compilation of rapes and murders of women, children, elderly and young adults the Herald viewed early last month after being invited by Ambassador Meron Reuben, consulate general of Israel in Boston, to bear witness to.
Seeing that must be the beginning of any dialogue. To dismiss this savage assault is sinful. To allow students to pen poison letters of support for Hamas, as they did at Harvard, and rally on campus is unforgivable.
It’s unclear whether any protesters had the guts to view this footage. If so, we’d engage in a meaningful debate based on the fact babies were burned, women were tortured, and terrorists gleefully cut heads off in a hellish show of ruthlessness.
The presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology danced around probing questions from the committee on if any students had been expelled for antisemitic acts — none were announced.
They also equivocated when pressed for financial support from alumni with ties to supporters of terror in the Middle East. They ducked when asked if taxpayer funds should still flow to their universities if they cannot control the hate on campus.
Smug answers about college being a “crucible of ideas” is only legitimate if you watch this footage and all the hostages are returned. Today.
Yes, the poor Palestinian people have been betrayed by Hamas, who answer to Iran, who is sitting back and enjoying the chaos.
In the Oct. 7 footage, it was obvious the assault rifles appeared brand new, and there was no shortage of ammunition. Iran bankrolled this. It’s foolish to assume anything less.
So, college Presidents Claudine Gay, of Harvard, Liz Magill of Penn and Sally Kornbluth of MIT, what if this money was used for the Palestinian people instead? What if the debate pivoted to the grip Hamas and other ISIS-like terror organizations have on the populace?
Israel and those of the Jewish faith across the globe deserve to be respected for all they’re doing to end hate. It’s time to stop being cowards on campus.
Harvard’s Gay admitted her predecessor allowed the Ukrainian flag to fly, but she did not do the same for the Israeli flag. She dismissed it as a breach of protocol. Who cares!
Learn from history: “Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night,” wrote Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel in “Night.”
“Never shall I forget that smoke.”