Israel: Tension is rising at US universities following the arrests of students protesting against the war in Gaza and reports of “anti-Semitic” acts.
image Source, reuters
- Author, formatting*
- Role, bbc news world
A new wave of student protests against the war in Gaza is taking over college campuses across the United States, prompting officials to take extraordinary measures and rethink their plans for graduation ceremonies taking place in the coming weeks.
Demonstrations have spread from Columbia University, where a protest camp was destroyed and more than 100 people were arrested, to Yale and other higher institutions across the country, while Authorities are looking for ways to control them.,
On Monday night, police moved in to break up a protest at New York University (NYU) and made several arrests.
The same day, dozens of students were detained at Yale, while Columbia canceled in-person classes.
Similar camps have also opened at the University of California at Berkeley, MIT and others. Most prominent universities of the country,
Demonstrations and heated debate over Israel’s war and free expression in Gaza have rocked US campuses since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the Israeli military campaign in the Strip.
Asked about the protests at the university on Monday, US President Joe Biden said he condemned “anti-Semitic protests” and “people who don’t understand what’s happening to Palestinians.”
image Source, getty images
Convocation ceremony under doubt
Officials at these prestigious and influential universities are having difficulty calming the anger on their campuses, and for the most part, they have failed.
One of his biggest concerns is the upcoming graduation ceremony.
The University of Southern California (USC) sparked criticism and protests last week Canceled the traditional graduation speech of your most outstanding studentA Muslim who has advocated on behalf of the Palestinians.
A day later, USC announced that the ceremony that brought together 65,000 people on campus would not have its usual speakers or honorees.
Separately, the University of Michigan announced on its website that it would designate a special area for activists outside of locations where graduation ceremonies will be held, saying it would not try to stop peaceful protests, but Will take action if illegal work is done,
image Source, Asna Tabassum
tension on campuses
The campus protest movement made headlines last week after New York City police were deployed to the Columbia University campus More than 100 protesters arrested,
In a statement released Monday, Columbia announced that all classes would be held virtually, with the institution’s president, Minouche Shafik, citing incidents of “intimidating and harassing behavior.”
Shakif said tensions on campus have been exploited by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia to come to campus to promote their own agenda.
At New York University, activists set up tents outside the Stern School of Business Administration.
As has happened at other universities, NYU protesters are demanding that administrators disclose and divest “Its funding and donations came from arms producers and companies interested in the Israeli occupation”,
As night fell on Monday, the police started arresting the protesters there.
Hours earlier, about 50 activists were arrested at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, where authorities said hundreds had gathered.
Protest camps have also been set up at the University of California at Berkeley, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Michigan, Emerson College, and Tufts.
image Source, reuters
accusation of antisemitism
New York University officials say they have received reports of “Intimidating chants and numerous anti-Semitic incidents”, This issue has made the protests more widespread.
Recently released video shows some protesters near Colombia expressing support for Hamas’ attack on Israel.
Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Manning, who visited Colombia on Monday, said she saw protesters calling for the destruction of Israel.
Chabad, the Hasidic group at Columbia University, said this Jewish students were subjected to yelling and hurtful rhetoric,
It was also reported that a rabbi affiliated with the university sent a message to 300 Jewish students at Columbia, advising them to stay away from campus until the situation “improved dramatically.”
Members of protest groups who have issued public statements denying anti-Semitism His criticisms are reserved for the State of Israel and its defenders.,
In a statement Sunday, the group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine said it “strongly rejects any form of hatred or discrimination” and criticized “provocative individuals who do not represent us.”
image Source, getty images
Congress’s target
Shafiq told in his statement Creation of a working group in Colombia “to achieve a solution to this crisis”,
The university and Shafiq, who went to Capitol Hill in Washington last week to testify before a congressional committee about the university’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism, are being urged to resolve the situation.
A group of federal lawmakers, led by New York Republican representative Elise Stefanik, signed a letter on Monday calling on Shafik to resign, whom Stefanik described as “a mob of students and agitators who urge terrorist acts against Jews.” described as “failure to end”. Student.”
The protests in New York also attracted the attention of Democratic representatives Kathy Manning, Jared Moskowitz, Josh Gottheimer and Dan Goldman.
Gottheimer said Columbia would “pay a price” if it fails to ensure that Jewish students feel welcome and safe at the university.
Meanwhile, in a letter posted online, North Carolina Republican Virginia Foxx, who chairs the House Education Committee, wrote “Colombia continues to fail to restore order and security” This is a violation of the obligations that federal aid is subject to and must be “immediately corrected.”
The protests have also prompted Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots football team and a prominent Columbia alumnus, to warn that he will stop supporting the university unless it takes “corrective action.”
issue of freedom of expression
image Source, reuters
Some university faculty have blamed Columbia for its handling of the protests and demanded police intervention.
A group of professors described themselves as “surprised that (President Shafiq) did not protect the freedom of thought that is central to the educational mission of a university in a democratic society.”
He also criticized Shafiq’s desire was to appease the MLAs who wanted to interfere in the affairs of the university,
In a statement sent to the BBC on Monday night, the university’s own Knight Institute for the First Amendment called for “urgent curriculum reform.”
It cited university rules stating that outside authorities may only become involved if there is a “clear and present danger to persons, property or critical operations of any division of the University.”
“For us It is unclear how a camp and protests would represent such a threat.Even though he did not have authorization,” the statement said.
A Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took another 253 hostages in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territory have killed more than 34,000 people in Gaza, most of whom are children and women.
*With reporting by BBC News’ James Fitzgerald and Bernd Debsmann Jr.
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