(Washington) Joe Biden pledged on Tuesday to combat the “fearsome” progression of anti-Semitism, which he said has “no place” in the United States and in particular in universities, the scene of pro-Palestinian mobilizations.
“People are already forgetting that it was Hamas which unleashed this terror,” said the American president, from the Capitol in Washington, in reference to the unprecedented attack on October 7 by the Palestinian movement, following which Israel launched a vast military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
“I have not forgotten,” said Joe Biden, who spoke at the annual Days of Remembrance ceremony, organized by the US Holocaust Museum at the Capitol, recalling that this attack had been the deadliest for Jews since the end of the Nazi extermination enterprise.
“We have seen a formidable increase in anti-Semitism in America and around the world,” continued the 81-year-old Democrat, candidate for a second term, reiterating his “unfailing” support for Israel.
“At university, Jewish students were blocked, harassed, attacked or saw posters in their classes, or heard anti-Semitic slogans calling for the elimination of Israel,” Joe Biden said.
We have an obligation to learn the lessons of History so as not to subject our future to the horrors of the past.
Joe Biden, during the annual Days of Remembrance ceremony
The US president’s response to pro-Palestinian campus protests has been criticized on both the right and the left.
The White House has announced initiatives targeting campuses in particular.
Among them, a new circular from the Department of Education specifies what constitutes anti-Semitic discrimination.
The Department of Homeland Security will implement new online resources for universities.
“Contaminated”
The Department of Foreign Affairs, for its part, will bring together the big names in technology to better identify and combat anti-Semitic speech on the internet.
The US president’s speech comes days after his first remarks on the student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which have been going on for several weeks.
He had remained silent for a long time, which had sparked criticism from both the Republican and Democratic camps in the middle of an election year.
Jewish students have been alarmed by an increase in anti-Semitic acts and rhetoric since October 7, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog last week denounced “reputable universities” which he said were “contaminated by hatred.”
Many Jewish students took part in the pro-Palestinian mobilization against the actions of the Israeli government.
Across the country, police have been called on several occasions to dismantle encampments and dislodge demonstrators manu militari.
Columbia University in New York, the epicenter of this pro-Palestinian student movement, announced on Monday that it was “giving up” its grand graduation ceremony.
PHOTO SETH WENIG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Columbia University in New York, the epicenter of this pro-Palestinian student movement, announced on Monday that it was “giving up” its grand graduation ceremony.
His Republican opponent Donald Trump had accused Joe Biden of inaction in the face of the pro-Palestinian movement: “They are radical left-wing weirdos and we must stop them now. »
The 81-year-old Democrat also attracts criticism from progressive elected officials in his party, who accuse him of ignoring the demands of students, and of turning a blind eye to the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
“I understand that people have strong convictions,” he said on Tuesday, without explicitly mentioning the very heavy toll of the war in Gaza.
“In America, we respect fundamental freedom of expression,” assured the American president, indicating however that the demonstrators must respect “the law”. Last week, he said that order should prevail on campuses.