Harvard announces antisemitism, Islamophobia task forces amid Israel-Hamas war

Interim Harvard President Alan Garber on Friday announced the launch of two task forces to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus amid the war between Israel and Hamas. 

"Incidents of bias and hate against Jews and against Muslims, Palestinians, and other people of Arab descent have risen across the country," Garber, who took over as president this month following the resignation of Claudine Gay, wrote in a letter to the Harvard community. "Reports of antisemitic and Islamophobic acts on our campus have grown, and the sense of belonging among these groups has been undermined. We need to understand why and how that is happening — and what more we might do to prevent it."

He said the task forces would examine recent incidents of bias, identify its root causes and recommend how to mitigate it. 

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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., in October.  (Joseph Prezioso / AFP / File)

The war began Oct. 7, after Hamas launched an unprovoked attack on Israel. Since then, thousands have been killed on both sides — mostly civilians — and Hamas is still holding more than 100 hostages, according to Israel. 

Garber added, "Strengthening our ties to one another will take considerable effort and engagement across the University. I have asked each task force to undertake broad outreach, and I encourage you to share your perspectives and your experiences with equal measures of care and candor. We have before us an opportunity to meet challenges with far-reaching implications, and I am appreciative, as ever, for your help in our efforts."

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Interim Harvard University President Alan Garber. (Paul Marotta / Getty Images / File)

Garber’s predecessor Gay, along with plagiarism allegations, was criticized over her response to Rep. Elise Stefanik recently when she was asked during a session of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce if "calling for the genocide of Jews" would violate the colleges’ codes of conduct.

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She said it depends on the context and when the "speech crosses into conduct, that violates our policies."

Earlier this month, the school was sued by students who claim the school is "hir[ing] professors who support anti-Jewish violence" and "ignoring students' pleas for protection."