In the complex geopolitical tapestry we live in, the radical death cult Hamas has undeniably positioned itself as a subject of global contention. The inevitability of civilian casualties in any military engagement with the group is a grim reality, particularly given their strategy of embedding military operations within broad civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
For years, Hamas has demonstrated a disregard for the welfare of Gazans, with their most senior leadership enjoying affluence far removed from the region. At the same time, aid intended for the populace is often repurposed for the organization’s aggressive and personal gains.
Yet, this group has become the focal point of university student boycotts, revealing a concerning trend of ill-informed activism within some of the most prestigious academic institutions of higher learning.
As a staunch proponent of higher education, I assert that my critique does not stem from elitism but from a place of concern. It is disheartening to witness students boycotting their universities under the misguided belief that divestment from Israel will be impactful- a fallacy since investments are not bound by students’ desires and considering that the true genocidal intentions lie with Hamas, not Israel.
The influence of Marxist academia appears to have skewed students’ understanding of 20th-century history, leading to a misdirected compassion for Hamas. This sentiment is fueled by antisemitic undercurrents, disregarding the complex realities and the actual genocidal actors at play, thus pointing to a deficiency in their educational pursuits and in those professors who are educating them.
Reflecting on the Vietnam War protests of the late 1960s, one notes a significant and primal contrast in motivations and methods. Then, demonstrators visibly stood against a distant war irrelevant to their lives and in solidarity with the civil rights movement.
Campus activism and antisemitism
Today’s situation bears no such direct threat to American or European students. Yet, their alignment with Palestinian causes, symbolized by the donning of keffiyehs and hiding their faces, has inadvertently evoked antisemitic associations. The student’s inability to discern this implication only underscores the limitations of their educational experience.
At Columbia University, students have reenacted historical acts of rebellion, occupying campus spaces, particularly the Commons and Hamilton Hall, as a form of protest against Israel. However, this resurgence has taken a troubling turn, as Jewish students face exclusion and intimidation, a stark deviation from the university’s legacy of advocating for civil rights.
The refusal to engage constructively with university officials and the escalation of outrage, with some faculty in tow, reflects a departure from reasoned discourse that should always be at the center of higher education.
Conversely, Northwestern University students have reached a compromise with their administration, which includes dismantling boycott-related installations and considerations for hiring additional Palestinian faculty.
While it pains me to agree with the notion that today’s college students are often perceived as self-righteous egoists, the concessions made by Northwestern’s administrators suggest a worrisome trend of yielding to demands without thorough deliberation. In a phrase: the inmates are running the asylum, allowing more slanted views rather than broader awareness of the true history of Middle Eastern cultures and conflicts.
The unease among Jewish communities near UCLA, who now take detours to avoid confrontational student protests, indicates the broader implications of such activism. The fear of potential violence cannot be overlooked, or worse, dismissed.
The current tide of campus activism, with its conflation of support for Hamas rather than the Palestinian people, is a reflection of an educational system that has not adequately equipped students to navigate the complexities of these and many other geopolitical issues.
Palestinians indeed require support, but students must learn to distinguish between supporting a populace and endorsing a radical cult that does not value life. The future these students are shaping through their actions may be fraught with the same misunderstandings and misdirection that have led us to this point.
The writer, a PhD, is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and an APA Presidential Citation awardee recognized for his work in trauma, abuse, and resiliency. He is the director of ADC Psychological Services in Netanya and Hewlett, NY, and is on staff at Northwell, New Hyde Park, NY.