30+ Harvard Student Groups Claim Israel ‘Entirely Responsible’ for Hamas’ Massacre of Civilians

A statement signed by more than two dozen Harvard University student organizations declaring that Israel is “entirely responsible” for the violence unfolding at the hands of Hamas terrorists is sparking a firestorm on social media.

As CBN News has been reporting from our bureau in Jerusalem, sirens blared as thousands of rockets launched at Israel from the Gaza Strip early on Saturday. And roughly 1,000 Hamas terrorists broke through the fortified border fence massacring hundreds of Israeli civilians, including many women and children, targeting them in their homes and communities. Over 200 Israeli civilians were slaughtered at a music festival alone.

“Israel is at war,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced shortly after the start of the attack.

At least 700 Israelis have been murdered, and at least 2,000 left wounded by Palestinian terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Many of the civilians were critically wounded and the death is expected to keep climbing as a result. More than 100 Israelis, and some Americans, have been taken hostage, as well. 

Noa was partying in the south of Israel in a peace music festival when Hams terrorists kidnapped her and dragged her from Israel into Gaza.

Noa is held hostage by Hamas.

She could be your daughter, sister, friend.#BringBackOurFamily pic.twitter.com/gi2AStVdTQ

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) October 7, 2023

Shortly after the attacks, The Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups released a statement signed by more than 30 campus groups blaming Israel for the violence and voicing support for Palestinians in Gaza.

“We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” the statement began.

It continued, “Today’s events did not occur in a vacuum. For the last two decades, millions of Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to live in an open-air prison. Israeli officials promise to ‘open the gates of hell,’ and the massacres in Gaza have already commenced. Palestinians in Gaza have no shelters for refuge and nowhere to escape. In the coming days, Palestinians will be forced to bear the full brunt of Israel’s violence.” 

As CBN News has reported over the years, those statement are demonstrably false as Israel has endured endless terrorist attacks and rocket barrages from Gaza for decades. Israeli forces have responded by attempting to avoid civilian casualties while targeting Palestinian terrorists who use their own people as human shields.

But the students at Harvard didn’t mention those facts. The groups that co-signed the statement included the Harvard Islamic Society, the Harvard Jews for Liberation, the African American Resistance Organization, the Society of Arab Students, and the Harvard Divinity School Muslim Association.

The statement also called Israel an “apartheid regime” that forced Palestinians into “colonial retaliation” and called on action to protect them. The groups made further inflammatory claims while ignoring the massacre of innocent Israeli women and children over the weekend.

The statement has been met with backlash on social media. 

31–yes 31–Harvard organizations have declared that the murders, rapes, kidnappings, and other atrocities committed by Hamas against innocent people are in no way the fault of Hamas, but are rather entirely the fault of … Israel. Something is deeply, deeply wrong in academia.

— Robert P. George (@McCormickProf) October 9, 2023

“31–yes 31–Harvard organizations have declared that the murders, rapes, kidnappings, and other atrocities committed by Hamas against innocent people are in no way the fault of Hamas, but are rather entirely the fault of … Israel. Something is deeply, deeply wrong in academia,” wrote Princeton University professor Robert P. George on X.

This is the final crack in my broken heart – a joint statement from @Harvard students. I could be sitting in class with these students, watching children brutally murdered, raped, kidnapped and their mutated bodies torn apart by a jeering crowd – and hear why it’s justified. pic.twitter.com/UTi60Y2omJ

— Yael Bar tur (@yaelbt) October 8, 2023

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) responded, “It abhorrent and heinous that Harvard student groups are blaming Israel for Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attacks that have killed over 700 Israelis. Any voice that excuses the slaughter of innocent women and children has chosen the side of evil and terrorism.”

“I am calling on the leadership of @Harvard to immediately publicly condemn these vile anti-Semitic statements,” she continued. 

Political scientist and author, Ian Bremmer, chided, “Large number of Harvard student organizations blaming Israel solely for Hamas attacks terrorist attacks killing 700 civilians. Can’t imagine who would want to identify with such a group. Harvard parents – talk to your educated kids about this.”

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