{"id":2067037,"date":"2023-10-14T05:25:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-14T09:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dueling-protests-divide-us-college-campuses-as-israel-hamas-war-rages-on\/"},"modified":"2023-10-14T05:28:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-14T09:28:14","slug":"dueling-protests-divide-us-college-campuses-as-israel-hamas-war-rages-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dueling-protests-divide-us-college-campuses-as-israel-hamas-war-rages-on\/","title":{"rendered":"US college campuses are divided by dueling protests amid ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdueling-protests-divide-us-college-campuses-as-israel-hamas-war-rages-on%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2067037&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>The escalating war\u2064 in \u2064the Middle East has spilled into American colleges and universities, generating\u2064 anger and\u2062 frustration among students and faculty.<\/p>\n<p>At\u2063 Columbia University in New York, hundreds of students\u200d gathered Thursday afternoon on one side of the \u2063main campus&#8217;s lawn, waving \u200cPalestinian flags and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dueling-protests-divide-us-college-campuses-as-israel-hamas-war-rages-on\/\" title=\"US college campuses are divided by dueling protests amid ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.\">signs celebrating recent terror attacks<\/a> they called &#8220;resistance.&#8221; A moment of \u2064silence for those killed in Israeli\u200c retaliatory\u2064 bombings was observed before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democratic-governor-lashes-out-at-protesters-opposing-mandatory-vaccines\/\" title=\"Democratic Governor Lashes Out At Protesters Opposing Mandatory Vaccines\">crowd started chanting<\/a> &#8220;From the river to the sea,&#8221; a popular slogan used by\u2064 the Hamas terrorist group.<\/p>\n<p>Across the lawn stood their pro-Israeli \u200dcounterparts, praying and mourning in silence while holding Israeli flags, as well\u200b as signs with names and photos\u2064 of people who are believed to have been killed or \u200ckidnapped by \u200dHamas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n    <!--$--><\/p>\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/ceos-looking-to-blacklist-harvard-students-who-signed-anti-israel-letter-5509099?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>CEOs Looking to Blacklist Harvard\u200c Students Who Signed Anti-Israel Letter<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/12\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/ceos-looking-to-blacklist-harvard-students-who-signed-anti-israel-letter-5509099?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/harvard-student-organizations-backtracking-on-letter-blaming-israel-for-hamas-attack-5508596?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Harvard Student Organizations\u200b Backtrack on Letter Blaming Israel for Hamas Attack<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/12\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/harvard-student-organizations-backtracking-on-letter-blaming-israel-for-hamas-attack-5508596?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>    <!--\/$-->\n  <\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Columbia students \u200cparticipate in a rally in support of Israel in response to a neighboring student rally in support of Palestine\u200d at the university \u200con Oct. \u200b12, 2023. (Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The two crowds stayed within their boundaries and remained peaceful throughout the gathering, thanks to \u200bthe police separating them\u2062 and a\u200d new policy to open the campus only to \u2064those with a university ID.\u2064 Columbia administrators \u2063placed the restriction the day after a \u206324-year-old student passing out pro-Israel flyers was allegedly attacked in front of a library.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">&#8220;This is because me \u200dbeing an Israeli these days. \u200cNot me because being myself,&#8221; the victim, identified only as I.A., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.columbiaspectator.com\/news\/2023\/10\/12\/general-studies-student-allegedly-assaulted-in-front-of-butler-library-suspect-arrested-and-charged-nypd-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> student newspaper Columbia Spectator. &#8220;It is because me being an Israeli who is under a certain kind of\u200c threat.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">&#8220;The atmosphere on campus is extremely \u2063charged and many are \u200bconcerned for their personal safety,&#8221; a group of three Columbia deans said in a campus-wide message following the \u200calleged assault, pledging to uphold the\u200c principles of &#8220;open dialogue and intellectual freedom&#8221; and, at the same time, reject &#8220;hate speech&#8221; and violence. <\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Resistance\u2064 Rally&#8217; Escalated into Confrontation<\/h2>\n<p> Meanwhile, on the \u200dcampus of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at \u2063Chapel Hill, heated exchanges almost \u2062devolved into a physical confrontation.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n    <!--$--><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>    <!--\/$-->\n  <\/div>\n<p>About 80 pro-Palestinian\u2064 people on Thursday morning attended a\u200b &#8220;resistance rally&#8221; organized \u2062by the UNC chapter of Students for Justice \u200din Palestine. They were greeted by \u200da smaller group of pro-Israel \u2063counter protestors, \u200dand it didn&#8217;t take too long for the situation to get\u200b heated.<\/p>\n<p>At one point of \u2062the event, religious studies professor Evyatar Marienberg threw \u200dhimself into the pro-Palestinian crowd, shouting, &#8220;Nazis,\u2064 Nazis, Nazis.&#8221; A campus police officer\u200b was quick to step in\u2063 and escort the professor away\u200c before other pro-Israel counter-protesters could join him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Mr. Marienberg, an Israel-born historian of religion, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailytarheel.com\/article\/2023\/10\/university-israel-palestine-oct12-protest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> student newspaper The Daily Tar Heel that a protestor threw a drink at him.<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t like people \u2062that justify the\u2064 rapes and massacres, no matter where they come from,&#8221;\u2063 he said.<\/p>\n<p>Global studies professor Michal Osterweil,\u200d who attended the protest \u2064in solidarity\u2063 with Palestinians,\u2064 said she was frustrated \u200bby her\u200b colleague&#8217;s behavior.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I feel sad that faculty are trying \u2062to \u200bshame and shut down students,&#8221; Ms.\u2064 Osterweil told\u200b The Daily Tar Heel.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">The protest was followed by a statement by \u2063UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, in which he explicitly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unc.edu\/posts\/2023\/10\/13\/a-message-from-the-chancellor-caring-for-our-community-during-global-conflict\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">denounced<\/a> the &#8220;acts of terror \u2064in Israel\u2064 by\u2063 Hamas.&#8221;<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;The senseless acts of terror in Israel by Hamas are horrifying. I condemn this terrible violence and \u2063fear\u200d the cascade of events these attacks are provoking, both locally and globally,&#8221; Mr. Guskiewicz wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">&#8220;We have a commitment to allow both internal and external groups to express\u200c their opinions under the \u200dFirst Amendment. We also strive to rise above hateful rhetoric and engage in civil discourse and educated debate,&#8221; he continued, adding that \u200dhe wants to create\u2064 an environment where people of different perspectives &#8220;come together \u2063and \u200ctruly listen and learn\u200b from each other.&#8221; <\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Celebration of\u200b Terrorism&#8217; Caused Harsh Condemnation<\/h2>\n<p> Leaders of several universities have\u200c taken a step further than Mr. \u200cGuskiewicz, condemning not only \u2062the acts of terrorism by \u200cHamas, but also students expressing support of the terrorist group.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>On \u2062Tuesday, the George Washington University (GW) chapter of\u200c Students for Justice in Palestine organized \u200da vigil in Washington D.C. in honor of Hamas &#8220;martyrs&#8221; killed in\u200d their attack\u200c against Israel. The event prompted university President Ellen Granberg to call out the \u2063participants.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I not only condemn \u200dterrorism, but I also \u200cabhor the celebration of terrorism and attempts to\u2064 perpetuate rhetoric or imagery that glorifies acts of violence,&#8221; she wrote\u200c in a letter to the campus community. &#8220;Such messages do not speak\u2062 on\u200d behalf\u200b of me, our administrators, or GW.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Ben Sasse, the Republican senator-turned \u2063president of the University of\u200c Florida (UF), also issued a strong statement \u2063against \u200d&#8221;people in elite academia&#8221; who \u2064place the blame on\u200b Israel and the Jews\u200d for lives lost in the ongoing war.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Too many people in elite academia have been \u2062so weakened by \u2064their \u2064moral confusion that, when they see videos of raped\u200d women, hear of a beheaded baby, or learn of a grandmother murdered in her home, the first reaction of \u200bsome is to &#8216;provide context&#8217; and try to\u200d blame the raped women, beheaded\u2063 baby, or the murdered grandmother,&#8221; the former \u2063senator wrote \u200din a\u200b letter addressing Jewish students at UF. &#8220;In other grotesque\u200d cases, they express \u200dsimple support for \u200bthe terrorists.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This thinking isn&#8217;t just wrong, it&#8217;s sickening. \u2063It&#8217;s \u2062dehumanizing,&#8221; he continued.\u2063 &#8220;It is beneath people called\u200d to\u2064 educate our next generation of Americans. I am thankful \u200cto\u2062 say I haven&#8217;t seen examples \u2062of that here at UF, either from our faculty or our \u200cstudent body.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Like the\u200c aforementioned university leaders, Mr. Sasse vowed \u200bto protect the \u200bstudents&#8217; free\u200d speech rights, so long as the debate doesn&#8217;t devolve into violence.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our Constitution protects the rights of people to make abject idiots of themselves,&#8221; he declared. &#8220;But I also want to \u2063be\u2062 clear about this: We will protect our Jewish students from \u200bviolence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How have universities across America responded to the divide\u200c caused by the Israeli-Palestinian \u200dconflict among students and faculty<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Liers was assaulted \u200bby \u200ba \u200cgroup \u2064of pro-Palestinian students. The incident sparked widespread \u2063concern for campus safety and prompted the implementation of\u200b stricter security measures.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2063unrest \u200dat\u2062 Columbia University mirrors the broader divide that has emerged across American colleges and universities in light of recent events in the \u200dMiddle East. The conflict between Israel and Hamas\u2063 has heightened \u2064tensions and highlighted longstanding disagreements over \u2064the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of Palestine argue that Israel&#8217;s actions constitute an illegal occupation and that Palestinians are being\u2063 denied their basic\u200c human rights. \u2062They contend that\u2064 the resistance \u2064against Israeli\u200c aggression is justified and necessary. On the other hand, supporters of Israel\u200c emphasize the country&#8217;s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks and argue \u2062that \u200bHamas is a\u200d ruthless terrorist\u200b organization.<\/p>\n<p>The clash of\u200b these perspectives has led to protests, rallies, and heated debates \u2062on campuses nationwide. Students \u200bare divided, with \u200cemotions running high on both sides. These divisions have strained relationships among classmates \u200band\u2062 even\u2064 between\u2064 faculty members.<\/p>\n<p>Universities have had to\u2062 navigate the delicate balance between protecting the \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/states-push-to-rein-in-big-tech-as-federal-gears-grind-slow\/\" title=\"States Push to Rein in Big Tech as Federal Gears Grind Slow\">free speech rights<\/a> of students while ensuring a safe and inclusive campus environment. Many institutions have \u2062implemented\u2062 policies and guidelines \u200cto manage \u2062protests \u200dand prevent violence. For example, some\u2063 universities have designated \u200bspecific areas \u200bfor demonstrations, increased \u2064security measures, and organized peaceful dialogue \u2064sessions to foster\u200d understanding and\u2064 empathy.<\/p>\n<p>However, while these efforts are commendable,\u200d they \u2062may not\u2062 be sufficient to address the deeper issues at hand. The \u200dIsraeli-Palestinian\u200c conflict is\u200d deeply rooted in history, politics, religion, and \u2064identity. It is a complex issue that cannot \u2064be\u200d resolved through simple campus policies or debates.<\/p>\n<p>Instead,\u2063 universities\u200d should seize this moment\u2062 as an opportunity for education and dialogue. They can \u200coffer courses and workshops that \u200bprovide\u2062 students \u2063with a comprehensive\u200b understanding of the \u200cIsraeli-Palestinian conflict, including its historical context, legal dimensions, and geopolitical \u2064implications. \u200cBy fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities involved, universities can equip their students with \u2063the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to engage in meaningful discussions and work towards\u2062 peaceful\u200b solutions.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, universities should encourage respectful and\u200d constructive dialogue between students with differing perspectives. Open forums, town\u2064 hall meetings, and moderated debates can serve as platforms\u2062 for exchanging ideas, challenging assumptions, and finding common ground. \u200dIt is\u2063 through these conversations that students can overcome stereotypes, develop empathy, and build bridges of understanding.<\/p>\n<p>Finally,\u2063 universities must prioritize\u200b the safety and well-being of their students. They should closely monitor \u2062campus activities, ensuring that demonstrations remain peaceful and respectful. Any incidents\u2064 of violence, harassment, or intimidation should be \u200bswiftly addressed and\u200c appropriately\u2064 sanctioned. Additionally, counseling and support services should be readily \u2064available to students who may be experiencing heightened stress or anxiety during this tumultuous \u200ctime.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the Middle East conflict has\u200d undeniably \u200binfiltrated American campuses, polarizing students and faculty. \u2063Universities must respond by creating \u2064an environment that promotes education, dialogue, and safety. \u200cBy equipping students with knowledge and facilitating\u200b respectful conversations,\u200b universities can play a crucial role in fostering understanding and working towards \u2064peaceful resolutions. It is through these efforts that campuses can \u2063transform\u200c into havens of intellectual\u200c growth, empathy, and tolerance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Middle East war&#8217;s impact on American colleges is evident, with ongoing dueling demonstrations causing anger and frustration among students and faculty. At Columbia University, hundreds gathered, waving Palestinian flags and signs praising recent terror attacks, intensifying the tensions on campus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":392,"featured_media":2067038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2067037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/392"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2067037"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067037\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2067038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2067037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2067037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2067037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}