Students Supporting Israel saga is rife with double standards, according to prominent rabbi
A coalition of rabbis has openly condemned Duke Student Government denying formal recognition of a pro-Israel group on campus.
Rabbi Yakkov Menken told Campus Reform that being ‘anti-Israel is simply the latest figleaf for something much older, and darker.’
Whether Duke University’s student government should recognize Students Supporting Israel has been an ongoing debate at the North Carolina school that now involves thousands of rabbis.
Recently, Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), a group of approximately 2,000 Orthodox rabbis, spoke out against Duke University’s Student Government for its handling of the saga.
Rabbi Yaakov Menken, the managing director of CJV who told Fox News that a “double standard [is] at play” at Duke, spoke to Campus Reform about the double-standard treatment that Israel receives in such matters.
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“There is no anti-Iran, anti-North Korea, or anti-China movement—despite two million Uygher Muslims imprisoned in concentration camps for their ‘re-education,’” Menken said. “Simply put, no one is anti- a country, and anti-Israel is simply the latest figleaf [sic] for something much older, and darker.”
As Campus Reform previously reported, Duke University’s Student Government (DSG) had originally recognized the pro-Israel group, Students Supporting Israel, back on Nov. 10. However, SGA’s President soon vetoed the motion. Following the veto, the university’s senate sided with the veto. This vote took place on Nov. 17.
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Duke University’s SSI released a Nov. 16 statement on their Instagram page following DSG’s decision to revoke their status at the university.
In response to the veto, Duke President Vincent E. Price released a statement regarding the situation.
It reads:
“The recent vote by Duke Student Government to overturn an earlier decision to recognize the Students Supporting Israel (SSI) has raised concerns about whether students have been treated in accordance with university policy that prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon national origin and religion, which includes anti-Semitism.”
According to the rest of the statement, Duke University is currently investigating the situation to ensure that no codes of conduct are being violated.
“To be clear, the actions of Duke Student Government are independent of, and not determined by or sanctioned by, the university. Nor does a lack of formal recognition by student government prevent students from organizing in groups as they wish,” the text reads.
Campus Reform reached out to Duke University, Duke Student Government, Students Supporting Israel, and President Vincent E. Price for comment, but did not receive a response.
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