Liz Cheney's Disgust Over School Leaders' Testimony on Antisemitism Echoes in Congress
Former Republican Rep Liz Cheney condemns university leaders' testimony on Capitol Hill as 'appalling' and 'shocking,' highlighting the urgent need to address the issue of antisemitism and genocide
Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney expressed her dismay regarding the testimony of university leaders on antisemitism and genocide, describing their comments on Capitol Hill this week as "disgusting" and "stunning."
In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead," Cheney criticized the lack of willingness of these leaders from esteemed educational institutions to clearly denounce the calling for the genocide of Jews as harassment. She highlighted the troubling situation on campuses across the country.
Her comments follow closely behind the House lawmakers pressing the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology about how they handled alleged incidents of antisemitism on their campuses following the start of the Israel-Hamas war. At the hearing, the presidents faced difficulty in responding to questions regarding whether advocating for the genocide of Jews violated their schools' code of conduct on bullying or harassment.
Following the hearing, the presidents of Penn and Harvard have released statements in an attempt to clarify their earlier testimony.
The Annual National Menorah Lighting at the Ellipse of the White House in Washington, DC, on December 7, 2023, with Rabbi Levi Shemtov, executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch, and US Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff delivering remarks. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
Second gentleman rips lack of moral clarity among university leaders amid rising tide of antisemitism
Harvard President Claudine Gay stated, "Some have mistakenly linked the right to free expression with the belief that Harvard will tolerate calls for violence against Jewish students. Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group are abhorrent and have no place at Harvard. Those who threaten our Jewish students will be held accountable." Following this, Penn President Liz Magill echoed the sentiment in a video released on Wednesday night, announcing the immediate review and clarification of the university's policies on hate speech.
Magill expressed regret for not acknowledging that a call for genocide against Jewish people incites unimaginable violence. She clarified that such a call constitutes harassment or intimidation. Meanwhile, Cheney, promoting her book "Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning," criticized Rep. Pramila Jayapal for not more strongly denouncing sexual assaults perpetrated by Hamas during a recent terror attack.
During an interview with CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union," Jayapal criticized the rape of Israeli women by Hamas as "horrific," while also highlighting the over 15,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war began. She emphasized the need for balance in addressing the outrages against Palestinians. In a statement on Tuesday, Jayapal clarified that her comments were not meant to minimize the seriousness of rape and sexual assault and unequivocally condemned Hamas' use of rape and sexual violence as acts of war.
Jayapal clarified her remarks, but Cheney maintained that there can be no explanation or justification for the horror and attacks witnessed on October 7. She expressed concern about the societal unwillingness to stand up against growing antisemitism, emphasizing that it should not be a partisan issue.
CNNs Haley Talbot, Kevin Liptak, Katie Lobosco, Matt Egan and Donald Judd contributed to this report.
