In a poignant speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has condemned the Israeli military’s bombing of universities in Gaza, underscoring the devastation wrought on Palestinian educational institutions and highlighting the broader conversation about protest and bigotry on American college campuses.
“There are no protests on the college campuses in Gaza,” Sanders, the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, remarked. “You know why? Because every one of the 12 universities in Gaza has been bombed and destroyed.” His comments came amidst a broader debate about a Republican resolution aimed at condemning antisemitism on U.S. college campuses.
Sanders, who is Jewish, used the opportunity to express his opposition to the resolution presented by Senator Tim Scott, labeling it as insufficient. In response, Sanders proposed an alternative resolution which would not only condemn antisemitism but also “all forms of bigotry in this country, whether on college campuses or elsewhere,” including Islamophobia, homophobia, racism, and attacks against the Asian American community.
Sanders’ resolution emphasizes the right to peaceful protest, a significant divergence from Scott’s characterization of campus protests as hotbeds of antisemitic rhetoric. This framing has been criticized by Sanders and others for failing to distinguish between antisemitism and legitimate protest against Israeli policies.
Sanders’ condemnation comes in the wake of reports by the United Nations that over 80% of schools in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli forces since October, including all of the enclave’s universities. A group of U.N. experts has raised concerns over what they term ‘scholasticide’ — a comprehensive effort to destroy the Palestinian education system. They voiced the long-term impact of such attacks on the fundamental rights to learn and express oneself freely, stating, “Students with international scholarships are being prevented from attending university abroad.”
American campus protests against Israel’s assault on Gaza have sparked hope among some Palestinian students whose education has been disrupted. Hala Sharaf, a second-year medical student who has since moved to Cairo, conveyed that the demonstrations in the U.S. have brought a sense of solidarity, encouraging them to maintain focus on Gaza.
Sanders pointed out that recent polls show a significant portion of the American public supports calling for a cease-fire and opposes the sending of more weapons to Israel. These protests and public opinions reflect growing concerns about U.S. complicity in what is perceived as a humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Relevant articles:
– Bernie Sanders Condemns Israel’s Destruction of Gaza Universities | “There are no protests on the college campuses in Gaza,” said the Vermont senator. “You know why? Because every one of the 12 universities in Gaza has been bombed and destroyed.”, commondreams.org, 05/09/2024
– US Sen. Sanders condemns bigotry on college campuses, Türkiye Newspaper, 05/08/2024
– US senator introduces resolution condemning all forms of bigotry on college campuses, Yeni Şafak English, 05/08/2024
– Bernie Sanders expresses support for pro-Palestine protests, Yahoo New Zealand News, 05/07/2024
– Biden condemns current antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance during college protests and Gaza war, The Columbian, 05/07/2024