Stefanik grills Harvard president over students calling for 'intifada,'
rampant antisemitism on campus
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., grilled Harvard's president over students
calling for intifada, or 'genocide of Jews' on campus
Danielle Wallace By Danielle Wallace Fox News
Published December 5, 2023 1:52pm EST | Updated December 5, 2023 2:57pm

Rep. Stefanik presses Harvard president on consequences for students
calling for 'Intifada'
House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., demanded Harvard President
Dr. Claudine Gay respond to calls for "intifada," or the "genocide of
Jews" on the Ivy League campus.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., laced into Harvard University President Dr.
Claudine Gay during a House committee hearing on the rise of
antisemitism on college campuses on Tuesday, challenging that the Ivy
League school's leader answer "Harvard student calling for the mass
murder of African-Americans is not protected free speech at Harvard,
correct?"

Stefanik demanded that Gay respond to the "yes or no question," before
asking the Harvard president if she was familiar with the term
"intifada" and cited multiple instances of Harvard students chanting,
"There is only one solution. Intifada, Revolution," and "globalize the
intifada" since Hamas' October 7 massacre and Israel's counteroffensive
in Gaza that followed.

The House GOP chair stated, "the use of the term intifada in the context
of the Israeli-Arab conflict is indeed a call for violent armed
resistance against the state of Israel, including violence against,
civilians and the genocide of Jews." Gay admitted she had heard the term
before and said, "That type of hateful speech is personally abhorrent to
me."

While Gay admitted that speech calling for intifada, and therefore
genocide against the Jewish people in Israel and globally, was "at odds
with the values of Harvard," but deflected when pressed by Stefanik if
those sorts of remarks were against Harvard University's code of conduct.

HARVARD, MIT AND UPENN PRESIDENTS PRESSED ON 'RACE-BASED IDEOLOGY OF THE
RADICAL LEFT' AT ANTISEMITISM HEARING

"We embrace a commitment to free expression, even of that are
objectionable, offensive, hateful. It's when that speech crosses into
conduct that violates our policies against bullying," Gay said. Stefanik
pressed, "Does that speech not cross that barrier? Does that speech not
call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel? When you
testify that you understand that is the definition of intifada, is that
speech according to the code of conduct or not?"

Harvard president testifies
Claudine Gay, president of Harvard University, during a House Education
and the Workforce Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday,
Dec. 5, 2023. (Haiyun Jiang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"We embrace a commitment to free expression and give a wide berth to
free expression, even of views that are objectionable," Gay said in
response.

Stefanik cited a report stating that Harvard ranked "dead last" when it
comes to freedom of speech on college campuses in America.

"Will admissions offers be rescinded or any disciplinary action be taken
against students or applicants who say from the river to the sea or
intifada, advocating for the murder of Jews?" Stefanik pressed, to which
Gay responded, "As said, that type of hateful, reckless, offensive
speech is personally abhorrent to me."

But Stefanik demanded to know what action will be taken specifically
against "students who are harassing and calling for the genocide of Jews
on Harvard's campus?"

"When speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies, including
policies against bullying, harassment or intimidation, we take action,
and we have robust disciplinary processes that allow to hold individuals
accountable," Gay said, deflecting at first. She assured that measures
were underway but declined to get into specifics.

Stefanik grills Harvard president
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., during a House Education and the Workforce
Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.
(Haiyun Jiang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

HARVARD WHISTLEBLOWER POINTS TO 'UNDISGUISED CALLS FOR THE MURDER OF
JEWS' AFTER LAUNCH OF FEDERAL PROBE

"Given students' rights to privacy and our obligation under SHERPA, I
will not say more about any specific cases other than to reiterate that
processes are ongoing," Gay said.

Unable to get an answer from Gay on specific actions taken against
students accused of antisemitism, Stefanik concluded by asking what the
number one hate crime in America is.

"I know that over the last couple of months there has been an alarming
rise of anti-Semitism, which I understand is the critical topic that we
are here to discuss," Gay said.

"That's correct. It is anti-Jewish hate crimes," Stefanik responded.
"And Harvard ranks the lowest when it comes to protecting Jewish
students. This is why I've called for your resignation and your
testimony today -- not being able to answer with more clarity speaks
volumes. I yield back."

Harvard, MIT and UPenn presidents
Sally Kornbluth, president of Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), right, shakes hands with House Workforce and Education Committee
Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (Haiyun
Jiang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

At their press conference earlier Tuesday, the House Republican
Conference heard from multiple students from Harvard, UPenn and MIT
before the hearing.

Harvard student Jonathan Frieden said, "Multiple times a week on my way
to class, I walk by mobs of people chanting 'from the river to the
sea'... I talk to my Jewish friends on campus every day. They tell me
how afraid they are to go to class."

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"President Gay's willingness to call chants of ‘Intifada’ and other
hateful antisemitic speech ‘abhorrent’ is reassuring, but the next step
is action. When students are saying ‘from the river to the sea Palestine
will be Arab’ and clearly calling for violence against Jewish
communities - and even interrupting classes to do so - we need to hear
Harvard clearly state how it will discipline those who are voicing these
hateful views," another student, Charlie Covit, an activist for the
Israel on Campus Coalition, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics,
crime, police and more. Story tips can be sent to
danielle.wallace@fox.com and on Twitter: @danimwallace.

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Notinterested358
5 December, 2023

I’ll NEVER UNDERSTAND why parents and students go into years long debt
to attend that university. First, DEFINE education, then ask if Harvard
lives up to their reputation.