Vantage | Why are US colleges blaming Israel, not Hamas?

As the world’s attention has been drawn to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a new front has opened up thousands of kilometres away on the campuses of Western colleges and universities. While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has deep-seated roots and evokes strong emotions worldwide, it is within these academic institutions that the battle takes on a different form, one of words, demonstrations and divisive debates. Many student organisations in the West have taken sides, releasing statements that have raised eyebrows and triggered discussions about the complexity of the conflict.

Harvard’s blame game One of the most prestigious institutions in the United States, Harvard University became a focal point of this debate. Students at Harvard released a statement following the recent Hamas attack, placing the blame squarely on Israel. Their statement cited Israel’s past policies as the cause of the attack, a stance that has stirred controversy and debate within the academic community. Columbia University protests Meanwhile, at Columbia University in New York, hundreds of students gathered for duelling protests. One group expressed their support for Palestine, while the other rallied behind Israel. Tensions ran so high that classes were cancelled amid fears of a physical clash between the two groups. Amid these protests, Jewish students voiced concerns about the rise of anti-Semitism on campus. “There were students who were attacked for speaking Hebrew and for hanging up signs denouncing Hamas. There are people over there who were cheering with Palestinian flags after women were raped and stripped and then taken their dead corpses to the streets of Gaza,” says Yola Ashkenazie, a Columbia University student. Challenging personal beliefs Several students who initially supported Hamas have distanced themselves from their statements due to the potential harm it might cause to their future. Major donors and employers have put pressure on colleges to condemn the Hamas attack and some students have withdrawn their statements in response to such pressure. Debate on blacklisting The tactic of blacklisting students for their opinions has sparked debate. Some argue that it’s a way to hold individuals accountable for their beliefs, while others see it as counterproductive, as it may further alienate these students. US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is critical of blacklisting and believes that these students should not be blacklisted. He describes these students as “simple fools” but acknowledges that blacklisting them won’t lead to productive outcomes. Influence of faculty The views of faculty members can also shape students’ opinions. At Stanford University, a lecturer’s actions towards Jewish students in a class stirred controversy and at Yale University, a professor made a controversial statement equating Israeli settlers to non-civilians. The response from these universities varied with Yale asserting freedom of expression in response to the professor’s statement. The role of colleges The colleges should guide students toward responsible expression of their opinions and not censor them. However, there should be certain boundaries in place to prevent the endorsement of terrorism, which is seen as crossing a line. In an ideal campus environment, both supporting Palestine and condemning Hamas should be possible, allowing for constructive dialogue and diverse perspectives. The overarching question here is how universities should balance the principles of free expression and responsible discourse and whether certain lines should be drawn when it comes to supporting groups associated with terrorism. Daniel Garren, a Columbia University student says, “Quite frankly, the support from my Muslim friends (is important) as well. All of the Muslim people who I know, who I’m close with, have reached out to us to see how my family’s doing. It’s just when it becomes impersonal, people feel much more comfortable calling for violence and I think that’s not okay.” Colleges can be a radical experience for students. They are exposed to freedom and new ideas, which can lead to becoming militant in their opinions and politics. However, most students outgrow this phase. It’s possible that a tiny minority won’t and continue their pro-Hamas politics into adulthood. In such cases, the responsibility lies with the individuals rather than the colleges themselves. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.