Campus Protests over U.S. Support for Israel

CAMPUS PROTESTS OVER US SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL

From New Hampshire to California there have been significant campus protests over US support of Israel’s disproportionate counterattacks against Hamas and Gaza, resulting in 35,000 mostly civilian Palestinian deaths and health and famine crises. The protesters’ demands vary--some of them are: an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, withdrawal of US support for Israel’s military, divestment by US universities in Israeli companies and bonds. The protests have been peaceful for the most part, but they have resulted in 2,300 arrests.

As those of us who are old enough to remember can recall, campus protests due to the war in Vietnam were also noteworthy and ultimately effective. College students have time to reflect and express themselves, unlike the majority of the population, busily struggling to make a living. In many ways they are our conscience. The powers that be have tried to slander the students with being antisemitic. This is wrong: being critical of the actions of the Israeli state is not the same as hating Jews.

So hail to the protesters: it is good to see the youth of our country opposing a destructive US foreign policy in general and US support of Israeli violence against Palestinians in particular.

Sources: The New York Times, 5/5/24 and The Guardian, 5/2/24