Israel Palestine
Former Birzeit President Accuses Harvard of Bowing to Pressure by Cutting Ties with His University
Former Birzeit University President Beshara Doumani slammed Harvard’s decision to cut ties with the Palestinian university as an act of political appeasement after speaking at the History Department’s Palestinian History event on Friday.
Adams House Withdraws Support for Anti-Zionist Passover Event, Citing Policy on Unrecognized Student Groups
Adams House administrators withdrew funding and revoked a room reservation for a Saturday “anti-zionist Passover seder for liberation” organized by a group of Adams students as the College ramps up efforts to limit the presence of unrecognized student organizations on campus.
Bashar Masri Resigns From HKS Dean’s Council After Suit Alleges He Aided Hamas
Bashar Masri, a Palestinian-American billionaire, resigned from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Dean’s Council earlier this week, days after he was accused in a lawsuit of covertly building infrastructure for Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack.
Summers Says Harvard Gave Trump an Opportunity To Threaten University Over Antisemitism Response
Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers slammed Harvard’s leaders on Wednesday for acting too slowly against campus protesters and academic centers he accused of spreading antisemitism — which, he said, gave the Trump administration a window to threaten the University.
Harvard Medical School Launches Open Inquiry Working Group
Harvard Medical School has tapped a working group on open inquiry and the free exchange of ideas, HMS Dean George Q. Daley ’82 announced Wednesday.
Judge Denies Students’ Request To Join Kestenbaum in Antisemitism Suit
Efforts by two Harvard graduate students to join Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum’s ongoing Title VI lawsuit against Harvard were cut short on Friday after U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled to deny an amended complaint that added them as plaintiffs.
Kenneth Roth Says Universities Must Stand Up To Trump’s Attack on Academic Freedom
Former executive director of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth said universities must unite against the Trump administration’s “autocratically-inclined” attack on campus free speech at a Thursday evening book talk at the Cambridge Public Library.
Kestenbaum Required to Hand Over Documents in Ongoing Lawsuit, Judge Rules
Harvard Divinity School graduate Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum will have to hand over a series of documents related to his ongoing Title VI lawsuit against Harvard, after a judge approved the University’s request to compel the production of documents on Wednesday.
Harvard Places Palestine Solidarity Committee on Probation Over Tuesday HOOP Rally
Harvard College placed the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee on probation and banned the organization from hosting public events until July on Wednesday over actions at a Tuesday rally hosted by Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine.
Harvard AAUP Asks For Injunction To Halt Trump Administration Attempts To Deport Students, Faculty
The Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors filed a motion on Tuesday for an injunction to pause the Trump administration’s efforts to deport noncitizen students and faculty for expressing pro-Palestine views while their lawsuit continues.
Hoekstra Defends CMES Dismissals at Faculty Meeting, but Wavers on Harvard’s Next Move
Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra stood by the decision to dismiss the director and associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies last week at a Tuesday FAS meeting.
Harvard Opposes Plaintiffs’ Motion To Remain Unnamed in Kestenbaum Suit
Harvard filed its opposition in court on Friday to a motion to allow two plaintiffs to proceed pseudonymously as they seek to join Harvard Divinity School graduate Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum’s ongoing Title VI lawsuit against the University.
300 Protesters Rally Against Trump, Garber, and Leadership Changes to University Centers
In the largest Harvard pro-Palestine rally this year, nearly 300 protesters marched from the Science Center, down Massachusetts Avenue, and through Widener Gate on Tuesday to protest the University “complying with fascism” and shake-ups at major academic centers on religion and the Middle East.
Harvard Divinity School Suspends Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative
Harvard Divinity School will suspend its Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative amid budget cuts at HDS and public accusations that the initiative’s programming presents a one-sided view of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Mass. Lawmakers Call for Release of Tufts Student Taken by ICE
Top Mass. lawmakers are calling for the release of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk following her arrest by federal immigration officers on the street last week over her pro-Palestine advocacy.
