💭 Say nothing: Universities are trying a new strategy on Israel and Gaza

Politics

When universities issued statements about Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks and the war in Gaza last year, many led to intense blowback, donor revolts and — in some cases — high-profile leaders resigning. No statement, it seemed, was good enough to avoid criticism.So going forward, many of them won’t say anything at all.“The practice of issuing statements supports some members of our community while disregarding others, intentionally or otherwise,” Maud Mandel, the president of Williams College and a Jewish Studies scholar, wrote in a letter to campus last week explaining her own decision to remain neutral after Oct. 7 — a decision she has now codified into college policy.

Jerusalem Post     Sep 14, 2024