UPDATED: Harvard students walk back anti-Israel statement.
One group chalked its initial endorsement up to 'miscommunication.' The statement blamed Israelis for the terrorist attacks that resulted in mutiliated babies, raped women, and hundreds dead.
Multiple student groups have rescinded their support for a joint statement signed by 34 Harvard University student groups asserting that Israel is “entirely responsible for all unfolding violence” following Hamas’ weekend attack.
According to the Harvard Crimson, as of Tuesday night at least five of the originally signed groups had rescinded their endorsements of the statement.
Rescinding groups include Amnesty International at Harvard, Harvard College Act on a Dream, the Harvard Undergraduate Nepali Student Association, the Harvard Islamic Society, and Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo.
Act on a Dream told the Harvard Crimson that its original endorsement was “a result of miscommunication and a lack of due diligence in sharing the statement with the entirety of the board.”
Similarly, one Harvard Law student, who identified herself as a board member of a group that signed the statement, announced her resignation from her position Tuesday, calling the statement “egregious” and stating that she was not involved in the process and did not read the statement before her group signed.
”As a board member of a Harvard group that signed the statement on Israel, I think it was egregious and have resigned from my role,” the student stated on X. I am sorry for the pain this caused. My organization did not have a formal process and I didn’t even see the statement until we had signed on.”
[Editor’s note: After publication, the student told Campus Reform that the letter was signed without her knowledge or consent and provided an email of support sent from the Jewish Law Students Association to the student recognizing that she was “in no way” involved with the statement, and thanking her for “standing up for what’s right in a very public manner.”]
”I prevented another student group I remain on the board of from signing on when I saw the statement, the student added. “The statement is not representative of my values and my heart is with those impacted.”
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In a Tuesday statement, the Harvard Undergraduate Nepali Student Association apologized for how others “interpreted” its endorsement of the statement, which pointed to “Israeli violence” and demanded a “firm stance against colonial retaliation” in response to the terror attacks.
”We regret that our decision to co-sign the latest PSC statement to call attention to historical injustices against Palestinians, with an earnest desire for peace, has been interpreted as a tacit support for the recent violent attacks in Israel,” the organization stated.
In reaction to the statement, founder and chairman of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under the Law Kenneth Marcus told Campus Reform that it “shouldn’t be difficult” for students to avoid endorsements of terrorism.
“When so many people are being slaughtered, raped, and their corpses desecrated, it shouldn’t be difficult to decide whether you are on the side of the murderers or the victims,” said Marcus.