Harvard president waffles when asked if calls on campus for genocide of Jews violate school policy, angering Harvard Hillel

Harvard President Claudine Gay waffled Tuesday when U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York) asked her — during a congressional hearing on anti-Semitism — if calls on campus for the genocide of Jews violate school policy.

Gay's non-answers angered Harvard Hillel, a Jewish group at the Ivy League college, Fox News said.

What are the details?

"You understand that this call for intifada is a call to commit genocide against the Jewish people in Israel and globally, correct?" Stefanik asked Gay.

Gay replied, "I will say again, that kind of hateful speech is personally abhorrent to me."

Stefanik pushed, asking Gay if "that kind of hateful speech" is against Harvard's code of conduct or if it's "allowed at Harvard."

Gay replied that it's "at odds with the values of Harvard" — and Stefanik quickly interjected that Gay didn't appear prepared to say it's against the college's code of conduct.

CBS News called Gay's testimony "often robotic," noting that she replied, "We embrace a commitment to free expression, even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful."

The Harvard president added, "It's when that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying, harassment, and intimidation—"

But Stefanik wasn't having it and interrupted Gay: "Does that speech not cross that barrier? Does that speech not call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel? You testified that you understand that is the definition of intifada. Is that speech according to the code of conduct or not?"

Gay in a monotone voice basically repeated her previous response: "We embrace a commitment to free expression and give a wide berth to free expression, even of views that are objectionable, outrageous, and offensive."

In addition, Fox News noted that when responding to questions about Harvard's rules for bullying and harassment, Gay said speech that qualifies as harassment "depends on the context."

Stefanik goes after Harvard president on campus antisemitismyoutu.be

Harvard Hillel responds

"President Gay’s refusal to draw a line around threatening antisemitic speech as a violation of Harvard’s policies is profoundly shocking given explicit provisions within the conduct code prohibiting this kind of bullying and harassment," Harvard Hillel said in a statement posted on social media, Fox News added.

The organization also said, "We are appalled by the need to state the obvious: A call for genocide against Jews is always a hateful incitement of violence. President Gay’s failure to properly condemn this speech calls into question her ability to protect Jewish students on Harvard’s campus. Chants to 'globalize the intifada,' an endorsement of violent terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli civilians, and 'from the river to the sea,' an eliminationist slogan intended to deprive Jews of their right to self-determination in Israel, have become tragically routine at Harvard," the cable network also reported.

"President Gay’s testimony fails to reassure us that the University is seriously concerned about the antisemitic rhetoric pervasive on campus. We call on President Gay to take action against those using threatening speech that violates our community standards," the Harvard Hillel said.

Harvard Hillel president Jacob Miller said Gay's "testimony today was stunning and utterly disappointing. Tackling campus antisemitism will take head-on resolve, not the weak equivocation that was on display today," Fox News added.

MIT President Sally Kornbluth and University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill also testified Tuesday in Congress.

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