Larry Summers, the previous Treasury Secretary and Harvard University president, blasted the Ivy League school’s administration over its lack of response to dozens of student groups who blamed Israel for Hamas’ surprise attack this weekend.
“In nearly 50 years of @Harvard affiliation, I actually have never been as disillusioned and alienated as I’m today,” Summers, the previous Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton who later went on to advise Barack Obama within the White House, wrote on his X social media account.
“The silence from Harvard’s leadership, to date, coupled with a vocal and widely reported student groups’ statement blaming Israel solely, has allowed Harvard to look at best neutral towards acts of terror against the Jewish state of Israel.”
“As an alternative, Harvard is being defined by the morally unconscionable statement apparently coming from two dozen student groups blaming all of the violence on Israel,” he wrote, adding: “I’m sickened.”
Summers reacted on Monday to an announcement signed by greater than 30 Harvard student organizations who said they were holding Israel “entirely responsible” for Hamas’ mass slaughter.
“I cannot fathom the Administration’s failure to disassociate the University and condemn this statement.”
He added: “To be clear nothing is improper with criticizing Israeli policy past, present or future.”
“I actually have been sharply critical of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. But that could be very different from lack of clarity regarding terrorism,” Summers wrote.
Summers wrote that he hopes a condemnation of the student groups’ statement “will soon be forthcoming.”
The Post has sought comment from Harvard.
Summers noted that Harvard President Lawrence Bacow issued an announcement condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of last 12 months.
The varsity even hoisted the Ukrainian flag over Harvard Yard in solidarity, noted Summers, who lamented that there was “no official Harvard statement right now of ethical testing.”
The statement by the student groups sparked outraged condemnation and calls by a congresswoman for the Ivy League school to denounce the “abhorrent and heinous” support of “evil and terrorism.”
In a letter titled “Joint Statement by Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups on the Situation in Palestine,” 31 student organizations — including the Ivy League’s affiliate of Amnesty International — condemned Israel, whilst its residents are kidnapped and greater than 700 have been killed by the terrorist organization.
The groups claim Hamas’ attack “didn’t occur in a vacuum,” and the Israeli government has forced Palestinians to live in an “open-air prison for over 20 years,” in response to the letter obtained by The Post
Additional Reporting by Melissa Koenig