Harvard’s President Emeritus Larry Summers leveled a blistering criticism of the school for its response to the Hamas terror attack on Israel over the weekend, expressing how “sickened” it made him feel.
Summers, who is Jewish and served as the president of Harvard University from 2001-2006, fired off a message on social media that declared how “disillusioned and alienated” he felt at the “silence from Harvard’s leadership” as well as a shocking letter from 31 student organizations that blamed Israel itself.
“In nearly 50 years of @Harvard affiliation, I have never been as disillusioned and alienated as I am today,” Summers wrote.
“The silence from Harvard’s leadership, so far, coupled with a vocal and widely reported student groups’ statement blaming Israel solely, has allowed Harvard to appear at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel,” the former Treasury Secretary and director of the National Economic Council added.
The silence from Harvard’s leadership, so far, coupled with a vocal and widely reported student groups’ statement blaming Israel solely, has allowed Harvard to appear at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
Summers pointed out Harvard’s support of Ukraine following the invasion by Russia and past comments by President Claudine Gay who has yet to release a statement about Israel.
“Unlike President Bacow’s strong statement of support for Ukraine after Putin’s invasion and the decision to fly the Ukraine flag over Harvard yard or Dean Gay’s powerful statement on police violence, we have as yet – 48 hours later – no official Harvard statement at this time of moral testing,” Summers lamented.
Unlike President Bacow’s strong statement of support for Ukraine after Putin’s invasion and the decision to fly the Ukraine flag over Harvard yard…https://t.co/0BFXtyMrXG
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
“Instead, Harvard is being defined by the morally unconscionable statement apparently coming from two dozen student groups blaming all the violence on Israel,” he continued, referring to the letter that declared Israel was “entirely responsible” for the atrocious attacks by militant terrorists that have gunned down innocent citizens, including children.
“I am sickened. I cannot fathom the Administration’s failure to disassociate the University and condemn this statement,” Summers wrote.
Instead, Harvard is being defined by the morally unconscionable statement apparently coming from two dozen student groups blaming all the violence on Israel. I am sickened. I cannot fathom the Administration’s failure to disassociate the University and condemn this statement.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
“I very much hope appropriate statements from the University and College condemning those who launched terrorist attacks and standing in solidarity with its victims will soon be forthcoming,” continued the longtime Democrat, who was economic advisor to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
“To be clear nothing is wrong with criticizing Israeli policy past, present or future. I have been sharply critical of PM Netanyahu,” he concluded. “But that is very different from lack of clarity regarding terrorism.”
To be clear nothing is wrong with criticizing Israeli policy past, present or future. I have been sharply critical of PM Netanyahu. But that is very different from lack of clarity regarding terrorism.
— Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) October 9, 2023
The “Joint Statement by Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups on the Situation in Palestine” was signed on by 31 Harvard organizations and released on Sunday.
Ignoring the atrocities being committed by Hamas amid reports of mass rape, kidnappings and the murder of hundreds, the groups demanded an end to the suffering of Palestinians and claimed the attacks “did not occur in a vacuum.”
“The apartheid regime is the only one to blame. Israeli violence has structured every aspect of Palestinian existence for 75 years,” the letter stated. “From systematized land seizures to routine airstrikes, arbitrary detentions to military checkpoints, and enforced family separations to targeted killings, Palestinians have been forced to live in a state of death, both slow and sudden.”
“Today, the Palestinian ordeal enters into uncharted territory. The coming days will require a firm stand against colonial retaliation. We call on the Harvard community to take action to stop the ongoing annihilation of Palestinians,” the letter added.
According to Daily Mail:
The Palestine Solidarity Committee has held inflammatory events in relation to the conflict, including protests, an ‘Apartheid Week’ and a ‘Boycott Israel Trek.’
The group has also taken credit for getting the Harvard Crimson – the school’s long-running student newspaper – to support BDS, or Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel.
The groups include the school’s African American Resistance Organization, Amnesty International, ‘Harvard Act on a Dream,’ groups of Muslim and South Asian students from the Kennedy and Chan schools, the Harvard Islamic Society and Harvard Jews for Liberation.
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While many echoed the anger and disgust of Summers over Harvard’s response – or lack thereof – there was plenty of debate on social media about the former school president’s own affiliation with the school.
Chris, I think that’s not quite fair to Dr. Summers. After all, his outspokenness cost him the university presidency, so more he was a victim of the woke vixens. Secondly, the world we have now erupted post George Floyd (2020) in a big way. Summers reign was 2001-2006.
— Jeff Cunningham (@cunninghamjeff) October 9, 2023
Chris, I think that’s not quite fair to Dr. Summers. After all, his outspokenness cost him the university presidency, so more he was a victim of the woke vixens. Secondly, the world we have now erupted post George Floyd (2020) in a big way. Summers reign was 2001-2006.
— Jeff Cunningham (@cunninghamjeff) October 9, 2023
I feel for @LHSummers but he falls right into that category of a progressive who has to feel something firsthand to understand how bad it is.
What did he think was happening? Just some right-wingers making noise about nothing?
— Andrea E (@AAC0519) October 9, 2023
They are your little pets. Not so nice when they bite you, is it?
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) October 9, 2023
took you long enough to notice the horror Harvard has become
— Rani, Last of The Red Hot Boomers (@ShadesOfRani) October 9, 2023
What university did you think you were running?
Glad you are speaking out, but this is the inevitable outcome of decades of institutional failure.
— Jeremy Carl (@jeremycarl4) October 9, 2023
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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