Harvard president Claudine Gay defends Palestine marches at heated congressional hearing on antisemitism

Republicans and college students today shamed the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for failing to act against student anti-Semitism in a heated congressional hearing.

All three female presidents were questioned for hours about the angry protests at their schools and what they did to protect Jewish students, many of whom say they now feel unsafe going to class.

While all condemned Hamas and generally renounced anti-Semitism, they refused to oppose students calling for the genocide of Jews and said such speech was allowed – “even if it is hateful.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) doggedly grilled leaders, demanding to know whether such calls for Jewish genocide violated their policies on intimidation and harassment.

Dr. Claudine Gay, the $900,000-a-year president of Harvard who has been in office for five months, responded: “If speech becomes behavior, it can be harassment.”

“The behavior constitutes the commission of an act of genocide?” Stefanik fired back.

Gay and other presidents said the incidents were “decisions based on context.”

All three acknowledged the rise in anti-Semitism and vowed to fight it, but used their testimony to say there was “also” an “increase in incidents of Islamophobia.”

Gay, under heated questioning from Republicans, failed to acknowledge the school’s undeniable liberal bias, insisting that neither she nor the school monitored faculty members’ political views.

She refused to acknowledge that some faculty members had been fired for sharing their conservative views and said the school “does not monitor professors’ policies.”

While the chants of “Intifada” or the destruction of Israel were “personally disgusting” to her, she said they did not rise to the level of violating the school’s code of conduct.

“Doesn’t the phrase ‘intifada’ violate your code of conduct?” Guy was asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik.

“We are committed to the principle of freedom of expression – even those views that are objectionable, offensive and hateful,” Gay responded.

None of the school officials could answer Rep. Joe Wilson’s question about how many conservative teachers they hired.

All three college presidents said they “do not collect this type of data” when hiring staff.

“There is no diversity of views and the result is anti-Semitism. You might want to think about it,” he said.

Before the hearing, New York University Jewish student Bella Ingber gave a powerful analysis of life on campus.

“Being Jewish at NYU means recognizing that ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ are not the values ​​that NYU instills in its Jewish students,” she said.

Chairman Virginia Foxx said in her opening statement that three presidents had failed to ensure the safety of Jewish students for fear of upsetting their liberal student bodies, which are overwhelmingly anti-Israel.

“After the terrorist attack on October 7, Harvard became the epicenter of anti-Semitism.

“This is the single least tolerant school in the country. The University of Pennsylvania was right behind them, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in the center of the group,” she fumed.

The schools’ collective failure to condemn Hamas has created a donor vacuum where generous Jewish alumni once resided.

In addition to larger, largely peaceful protests, there have been isolated incidents of violence against Jewish students on some school campuses.

“I want to ask them when they’re going to have the courage to do what they should do: condemn terrorism and do everything they can to protect their students,” Fox said in an appearance on Newsmax last night before the event. Hearing on Tuesday.

Harvard President Dr. Claudine Gay, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth will be called to testify before the committee.

The hearing will also feature testimony from Dr. Pamela Nadell. Professor of History and Jewish Studies at American University.

In November, more than 1,600 Harvard alumni threatened to withdraw donations to protest the school’s response to the protests.

Fox has been outspoken in her criticism of schools and their approaches.

“Anti-Semitism has no place in America, especially on college campuses. Colleges and universities have become breeding grounds for radical ideology.

“This fact is more evident than ever when demonstrations in support of Hamas and other terrorist organizations break out on campus.

“These demonstrations are not only morally reprehensible, but also incite violence against Jewish students and staff.

“The adoption of this resolution is a good first step, but I can assure you that we will not stop there.

“Soon the committee will hold hearings on combating anti-Semitism.

“I will continue to demand accountability for this type of hateful and violent rhetoric,” she said earlier this month.