Washington, D.C.- Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Senator Ted Cruz led their Harvard alumni colleagues on Capitol Hill in a letter demanding that Harvard President Claudine Gay condemn the antisemitic statement made by over thirty student organizations at Harvard University.
Following Hamas’ brutal invasion into Israel on October 7, 2023, a group of over thirty Harvard student organizations released a statement blaming Israel for the Hamas terrorist attacks carried out against Israeli civilians. Harvard University leadership was silent for two days following the Hamas attacks and the student organizations’ statements. When Harvard leadership finally released their statement two days later, they did not condemn Hamas for their brutal terrorist attacks, much less address the statement of the student organizations. Following public outrage, President Gay condemned the Hamas attacks three days after they occurred.
The lawmakers and Harvard alumni express outrage and disappointment in their alma mater stating, “As Harvard University alumni, we write today to express our outrage and profound disappointment over the statement made by over thirty Harvard student organizations that blames Israel for the Hamas terrorist attacks brutally carried out against Israeli civilians. This statement is abhorrent, and we demand that you immediately condemn it publicly and clarify that Harvard University strongly opposes this dangerous antisemitism.”
The lawmakers continue, “It is sickening that students at Harvard University have such a deep hatred for Israel that they have chosen to ignore reality, celebrate ruthless terrorists, and blame innocent civilians. This heinous statement and the support it received from over thirty student organizations across Harvard University should raise immediate concerns into Harvard’s curriculum regarding the State of Israel. This type of unified hate and ignorance cannot be allowed at Harvard University, and you must investigate its origins.”
“The leadership at Harvard University should be ashamed. After over thirty Harvard student organizations released an antisemitic statement blaming Israel for Hamas’ vicious terrorist attacks it took Harvard President Claudine Gay three days to even condemn Hamas’ attacks.” stated Congresswoman Stefanik (NY-21). “Harvard leadership has still not denounced the students’ statement, this is morally sickening. Any voice that can defend the raping, killing, and kidnapping of innocent women and children has chosen the side of terrorism. I am proud to lead my colleagues and fellow Harvard alumni in demanding better from our alma mater.”
“Sadly, there are few places on earth with more vicious antisemitism and hatred of Israel than American ‘elite’ universities. It’s disgusting, and it’s dangerous. I’m particularly ashamed that student groups from my alma mater, Harvard, blamed Israel for the genocidal war that Hamas terrorists are brutally waging. It is past time for universities to stand up and squarely address the antisemitism that they have been breeding and unleashing, including on their own Jewish students.” stated Senator Cruz (R-TX). “Harvard must decide whether it wants to be a true institution of higher learning or an incubator of bigotry and antisemitism whose students try to rationalize and justify child rape and mass murder.”
“What we are seeing at campuses across the United States is disgusting, but it speaks to a deeper long standing post-modernist rot in academia. There is debate and the free exchange of ideas – and then there is what we are seeing this week. These same students probably scream about micro aggressions and implicit bias, but now celebrate actual aggression based on anti-Semitism against women, children, and the elderly.” stated Congressman Crenshaw (TX-02). “At Harvard, students should be learning the university motto, truth – but in reality they are propagandizing for terrorism, and they should be denounced for their actions.”
“When I was at Harvard, pro-Palestine protestors harassed my family and me just because they realized I was a veteran. There’s no logic with these people – if there was, they’d realize there is no equivalency between Israelis defending themselves and terrorists beheading children.” said Congressman Mast (FL-21). “But Harvard leadership should know better. They need to make it clear that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated within the halls of one of the world’s most established institutions.”
Read the full letter HERE.
Rep. Stefanik and Senator Cruz were joined by fellow Harvard alumni including Representatives Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Brian Mast (R-FL) and Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).