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Jewish & Israeli Students at MIT Allege Anti-Zionist Intimidation Reminiscent of the Holocaust
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Jewish and Israeli students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have raised concerns about radical anti-Zionism and intimidation, likening the atmosphere on campus to Nazi Germany on the eve of the Holocaust, as was reported by the Algemeiner.com. In a letter addressed to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, students detailed an incident where members of the MIT Coalition Against Apartheid (CAA) physically obstructed them from attending class, forming a blockade and engaging in hated filled, anti-Israel demonstrations.
The MIT Israel Alliance shared the letter, recounting an incident from Thursday in which CAA members blocked the entrance to Lobby 7, a central space on campus, preventing Jewish and Israeli students from entering, the Algemeiner.com reported. The anti-Israel group, along with non-student protesters, chanted “Intifada” and expressed solidarity with the Hamas terrorist organization that conducted a massacre in southern Israel on October 7th in which 1400 Israelis and others were murdered. Jewish students were reportedly warned not to enter the main entrance due to concerns about their physical safety, the Algemeiner.com report added.
The letter emphasized that the responsibility to protect Jewish students should not fall on the students themselves.
“Instead of dispersing the mob or de-escalating the situation by rerouting all students from Lobby 7, Jewish students specifically were warned not to enter MIT’s front entrance due to a risk to their physical safety,” wrote the MIT Israel Alliance, according to the Algemeiner.com report. “The onus to protect Jewish students should not be on the students themselves.”
As was noted in the Algemeiner.com report, despite warnings and the threat of suspension, CAA reportedly continued its demonstration, prompting the university to issue directives to avoid the area. Jewish students were eventually instructed to enter through the back entrance, and concerns were raised about their safety at the Hillel building on campus, the Algemeiner.com report added.
The MIT Israel Alliance highlighted the date of the incident, November 9, the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, which marked the beginning of the Holocaust. The Algemeiner.com report also indicated that the students expressed fear and drew parallels between their experiences and historical events, stating, “We are seeing history repeating itself, and Jews on MIT’s campus are afraid.”
MIT President Sally Kornbluth addressed the incident, acknowledging a disruptive protest that violated university guidelines on holding protests in certain areas. Kornbluth did not explicitly mention anti-Semitism but emphasized that the issue was the manner and location of expression rather than the substance of the views, the article on the Algemeiner.com report said. Counter-protesters, including Jewish and pro-Israel students, were also present during the demonstration.
Kornbluth announced that protesters who remained in violation of directives would face non-academic suspension, as was mentioned in the Algemeiner.com report. The university is actively addressing the situation, focusing on the disruptive nature of the protest and adherence to campus guidelines.
The incident at MIT highlights tensions on campus, with Jewish and Israeli students expressing concerns about anti-Zionist intimidation. As the university responds to the situation, questions about free expression, safety, and the line between protest and disruption are likely to be central in ongoing discussions at MIT and other institutions facing similar challenges.
