"The president of Harvard University on Wednesday faced criticism and calls for her resignation over her comments at a Capitol Hill hearing on campus anti-Semitism.
"The deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas militants has ignited tensions on many American college campuses, with protests flaring.
"At Harvard, donors have specifically called for President Claudine Gay to offer more explicit support for Israel, and condemnation of student groups who have voiced support for the Palestinian people.
"On Tuesday, Gay testified before the House Education Committee at a hearing dedicated to holding campus leaders accountable for anti-Semitic incidents.
"Republican lawmaker Elise Stefanik likened student calls for a new intifada — an Arabic word for uprising that harks back to the first Palestinian revolt against Israel in 1987 — to inciting “genocide against the Jewish people in Israel and globally.”
"When Stefanik asked Gay if such calls would violate Harvard’s code of conduct, the Harvard president said: “We embrace a commitment to free expression even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful.”
"When speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies, including policies against bullying, harassment or intimidation, we take action.”
"Stefanik called on Gay to immediately resign, while Republican Senator Ted Cruz called the comment “disgraceful.” . . .
Harvard President Faces Uproar Over Refusal to Punish Students for ‘Intifada’ Chants - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics "Harvard University President Claudine Gay has faced fierce criticism in recent days for not pursuing public disciplinary action against students who last week engaged in “intifada” chants, which call for violence against Jews and Israel. On Nov. 27, for instance, Harvard sophomore Kojo Acheampong led students in chanting, “Long live Palestine; long live the intifada; intifada, intifada; globalize the intifada.” And on Nov. 29, students disrupted classes with bullhorns to levy their anti-Semitic chants, including “globalize the intifada,” as part of their “week of action.”
"In a congressional hearing Tuesday on how colleges have handled the rush of anti-Semitism on their campuses, GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik pressed Gay on whether Harvard has a policy of permitting students to participate in “intifada” chants. Gay refused to answer but suggested that such chants are permitted speech at Harvard. (READ MORE: Billionaire Donors Revolt Against Harvard)
"Gay said, “We embrace a commitment to free expression, even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful. It’s when that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying.” Stefanik answered, “Does that speech not cross that barrier? Does that speech not call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel?” When Stefanik continued to ask Gay whether “intifada” chants violate Harvard’s code of conduct, Gay responded, “We embrace a commitment to free expression.”
"Harvard Hillel, a Jewish organization at Harvard, last week described the “intifada” chants as “abhorrent antisemetic [sic] calls” and asserted that they call “for genocide and anti-Jewish violence throughout the world.” Such chants, it claims, “are not protected by the University’s free speech guidelines” — and neither are “interruptions of classes.' ” . . .