There is controversy around President Biden’s reaction to recent anti-Semitic incidents at college campuses across the United States. Here are the key points:
- Anti-Israel protesters have been disrupting classes and harassing Jewish students at Columbia University
- The protesters praise terrorist groups like Hamas and call for violence against Jewish people
- Columbia’s president told Jewish students to take classes online instead of dealing with the protesters
- Critics accuse Biden of not doing enough to condemn the anti-Semitic incidents and protect Jewish students
Does the president’s response go far enough to address this concerning issue? Let’s take a closer look.
Campus Protests Turn Hostile Toward Jewish Students
For weeks now, hundreds of anti-Israel protesters have occupied a central area of Columbia University’s campus in New York City. Their protest camp blocks walkways and disrupts nearby classes.
The protesters wave signs and banners supporting Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist group. They chant threatening slogans like “Death to Israel” and praise recent terrorist attacks against Jewish people.
Some protesters even harass anyone who appears to support Israel. The university’s rabbi warned all Jewish students to avoid the area for their safety.
One Jewish professor was reportedly banned from campus to prevent violent clashes with the angry mob of “peaceful protesters.”
Columbia Fails to Protect Its Jewish Students
Instead of clearing the hostile protesters from campus, Columbia’s president decided to take a different approach. He ordered that all classes disrupted by the protests be made available online.
This move essentially forces the university’s Jewish student population to hide away in their homes to complete the semester safely. They cannot attend in-person classes without facing harassment and threats.
Many accuse Columbia’s president of being a “coward” who fails to stand up to the repulsive bigotry and anti-Semitism occurring on campus. There are widespread calls for him to resign.
Biden’s Weak Response Draws Criticism
While this situation escalated on Columbia’s campus, President Biden stayed silent and took no action to address it. His general lack of response is drawing harsh criticism from multiple sides.
Some Republican lawmakers urged Biden to mobilize the National Guard to protect the local Jewish community from the hostilities. But the president did not act on these calls.
Biden’s critics accuse him of desperately needing the support of his far-left political base, which includes many of the anti-Israel protest groups. So, he avoids weighing in firmly against their tactics.
Donald Trump spoke out, saying the situation at Columbia and other campuses like NYU is “a disgrace.” He slammed Biden for not knowing “who he is backing” and letting things become “a mess.”
Fueling Further Controversy
Adding fuel to the fire, Biden’s own State Department released a report this week equating actions by the Israeli government to those of Hamas terrorists when citing human rights violations.
Many view this as giving unwarranted legitimacy to Hamas, which has a stated goal of destroying Israel. It’s just the latest in a series of Biden administration moves viewed as anti-Israel by critics.
Throughout his tenure, the president has faced accusations of appeasing Iran, the primary state sponsor of global terrorism, in efforts to resurrect a contentious nuclear agreement.
With Jewish students facing blatant harassment and threats on campus, does Biden have an obligation as president to speak out forcefully against the perpetrators? Should he be doing more to ensure the safety of this vulnerable minority group?
In the view of many critics, the president who promised to “restore the soul of America” has failed to find his moral compass on this issue. They argue his silence makes him complicit as anti-Semitism goes unchecked at several leading U.S. universities.
What do you think? Is Biden’s response to the disturbing anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses appropriate and sufficient? Or should he be taking stronger action to condemn the threats against Jewish students and ensure their protection? It’s a complex issue with passionate voices on both sides.
