Harvard professors Larry Summers and Jason Furman laid into several campus groups over an explicitly anti-Israel statement released just after Hamas terrorists launched devastating attacks on Israel over the weekend, during which they kidnapped, tortured, and killed hundreds of Israeli civilians.
The joint statement took direct aim at Israel in the first line: “We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.”
The letter glossed over Hamas’ unprovoked attacks and focused solely on what they called “retaliation” that was sure to come from Israel in the days and weeks to come.
“Today, the Palestinian ordeal enters into uncharted territory. The coming days will require a firm stand against colonial retaliation. We call on the Harvard community to take action to stop the ongoing annihilation of Palestinians,” the statement concluded.
Summers responded to the statement with horror and disbelief, saying, “In nearly 50 years of @Harvard affiliation, I have never been as disillusioned and alienated as I am today. The silence from Harvard’s leadership, so far, coupled with a vocal and widely reported student groups’ statement blaming Israel solely, has allowed Harvard to appear at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel.”
In nearly 50 years of @Harvard affiliation, I have never been as disillusioned and alienated as I am today.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
The silence from Harvard’s leadership, so far, coupled with a vocal and widely reported student groups’ statement blaming Israel solely, has allowed Harvard to appear at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
Summers went on to note that Harvard’s leadership had not been shy about voicing support for Ukraine — or about decrying police violence in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020 — but that they had stood silent in the face of the ongoing massacre of Israelis even as multiple student groups were openly siding with Hamas terrorists.
“I am sickened,” he said of the joint statement. “I cannot fathom the Administration’s failure to disassociate the University and condemn this statement. I very much hope appropriate statements from the University and College condemning those who launched terrorist attacks and standing in solidarity with its victims will soon be forthcoming.”
Instead, Harvard is being defined by the morally unconscionable statement apparently coming from two dozen student groups blaming all the violence on Israel. I am sickened. I cannot fathom the Administration’s failure to disassociate the University and condemn this statement.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
I very much hope appropriate statements from the University and College condemning those who launched terrorist attacks and standing in solidarity with its victims will soon be forthcoming.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
Summers concluded by saying that there was nothing wrong with questioning Israeli policy, but there was a big difference between that and a failure to condemn terrorism for what it was.
Summers was joined in spirit by fellow Harvard professor Jason Furman, who said that while he typically tried to stay in his own lane and avoid making “public statements,” he felt compelled to address the anti-Israel statement coming from campus groups.
“It is getting global attention and the sentiments it expresses are egregious. Blaming the victims for the slaughter of hundreds of civilians. Absolving the perpetrators of any agency. This is morally ignorant and painful for other members of the community,” he said, adding, “I deeply hope — and from my experience believe — that this statement does not speak for most students. Maybe not even most students in these groups — possibly a quick first impression before the full scale of the horror perpetrated by Hamas became clear.”
It is getting global attention and the sentiments it expresses are egregious. Blaming the victims for the slaughter of hundreds of civilians. Absolving the perpetrators of any agency. This is morally ignorant and painful for other members of the community.
— Jason Furman (@jasonfurman) October 10, 2023
I deeply hope–and from my experience believe–that this statement does not speak for most students. Maybe not even most students in these groups–possibly a quick first impression before the full scale of the horror perpetrated by Hamas became clear.
— Jason Furman (@jasonfurman) October 10, 2023
Furman went on to share at least one comment from a graduate student who was a member of several of the undersigned groups and was angry that such sentiments were being published in her name.
He then shared a statement from University President Claudine Gay and suggested that it didn’t go nearly far enough, adding, “Our President Claudine Gay & school leaders have asked us to ‘foster … an environment of dialogue & empathy, appealing to one another’s thoughtfulness & goodwill.’ I hope to help. Acknowledging that killing hundreds of innocents is wrong should be an easy place to start,” he said.
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The student groups that signed on to the joint statement were: African American Resistance Organization, Amnesty International at Harvard, Bengali Association of Students at Harvard College, Harvard Act on a Dream, Harvard Arab Medical and Dental Student Association, Harvard Chan Muslim Student Association, Harvard Chan Students for Health Equity and Justice in Palestine, Harvard College Pakistan Student Association, Harvard Divinity School Muslim Association, Harvard Middle Eastern and North African Law Student Association, Harvard Graduate School of Education Islamic Society, Harvard Graduate Students for Palestine, Harvard Islamic Society, Harvard Law School Justice for Palestine, Harvard Divinity School Students for Justice in Palestine, Harvard Jews for Liberation, Harvard Kennedy School Bangladesh Caucus, Harvard Kennedy School Muslim Caucus, Harvard Kennedy School Muslim Women’s Caucus, Harvard Kennedy School Palestine Caucus, Harvard Kennedy School South Asia Caucus Leadership, Harvard Muslim Law School Association, Harvard Pakistan Forum, Harvard Prison Divest Coalition, Harvard South Asian Law Students Association, Harvard South Asians for Forward-Thinking Advocacy and Research, Harvard TPS Coalition, Harvard Undergraduate Arab Women’s Collective, Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo, Harvard Undergraduate Muslim Women’s Medical Alliance, Harvard Undergraduate Nepali Students Association, Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, Middle East and North African Graduate School of Design Student Society, Neighbor Program Cambridge, Sikhs and Companions of Harvard Undergraduates, and Society of Arab Students.