Staff Reports
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is demanding that President Joe Biden take action to protect Jewish college students following pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University just before Passover.
Hawley demands Biden send National Guard to protect Jewish students at colleges https://t.co/6zKzeXPCse via @dcexaminer
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 22, 2024
“But Eisenhower sent the 101st to Little Rock, so why can’t Biden send the National Guard to our universities to protect Jewish Americans?” Hawley exclaimed on X.
The White House has also condemned the anti-Semitic remarks made during the pro-Palestinian protests, calling them “blatantly anti-Semitic, unconscionable, and dangerous,” and asserting that they have no place in the United States. President Biden himself has stated his commitment to the safety of the Jewish people and the security of Israel, saying that his administration will speak out against the surge of anti-Semitism and implement a National Strategy to Counter Anti-Semitism.
In response to Hawley’s call for the National Guard to be deployed, the White House has not commented. However, Hawley is not alone in his concern. Other members of Congress are speaking out about the rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses, especially in the wake of the recent protests at Columbia University and Barnard College.
The protests at these prestigious institutions have led to significant unrest, with more than 100 students being arrested and the decision to switch to virtual classes due to “intimidating and harassing behavior” from the pro-Palestinian protesters. The situation has become so dire that a Jewish chaplain at the University has advised Jewish students to leave campus for their safety.
This has prompted House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) to send a letter to Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, admonishing the university for the ongoing chaos and failure to guarantee the safety of Jewish students. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) also condemned the demonstrations, calling them “outrageous and un-American.”
In a show of solidarity, three Jewish House Democrats – Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) – are planning to visit Columbia’s campus to meet with Jewish students. Moskowitz even declared, “If the University won’t protect them, Congress will!”
The issue of anti-Semitism on college campuses has ignited a bipartisan concern, and fingers are pointing at the universities for failing to ensure the safety of their Jewish students. With tensions flaring and emotions running high, it’s clear that both sides of the political aisle are united in their call for action to protect Jewish students from the scourge of anti-Semitism.
