There is no doubt among people from around the world that the conflict in Israel and Gaza has been nothing short of catastrophic. Not only has this effect been seen through the families who have witnessed the loss of loved ones, but it also has been a root cause of hate and protest across the nation. At the White Elephant Hotel in Nantucket on November 24th, President Biden gave his remarks and intent surrounding the war. “We need to renew our resolve to pursue this two-state solution,” Biden said. “Israelis and Palestinians can one day live side by side in a two-state solution with equal measure of freedom and dignity”(White House). Some of the most vocal citizens surrounding this ongoing war are the future of America: college students.
Colleges around the nation have seen protests against the acts of terror in Israel and Gaza. Last year, SHS graduate and Ithaca College freshman Grace McNamara said she has fellow teammates on the Bombers basketball team who are Jewish. According to Grace, these students seem more “scared and vulnerable than usual.” Additionally, she has noticed more silence from these students as of recently. The Hillel, a Jewish campus life center at Ithaca, has offered numerous opportunities for Jewish students to get their minds off the news. Recently, Ithaca president La Jerne Cornish sent a message to Ithaca students encouraging compassion and empathy for those affected by the war. Grace concluded the interview by saying she feels “deep pity” for what is going on in Israel.
At the University of Indiana-Bloomington (IUB), students have been consistently protesting around campus. “Discontent and misunderstanding” were the words of the editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student in an October interview with The Guardian. It was also added that peaceful student protesting has transformed into forms of passive-aggressive conflicts among students. Being a campus with a great deal of diversity, Indiana has seen many perspectives concerning the war. Kendall Stout, a 2023 SHS graduate and IUB freshman, stated she has seen numerous protests as well as a menorah in her dorm. “Some are openly talking about it, while some aren’t,” Stout said in a recent interview.
About 200 miles north, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has seen numerous protests as well. Colin Carreira, SHS class of 2021 and UWM junior, said he has seen “small-scale protests, ranging from groups of 100s to people standing alone with either an Israeli or Palestinian flag.” Protests concerning the war had a sharp uprise in the community following an appalling Neo-Nazi march that took place near campus. “It’s truly horrible that people would do something like that,” Carreira said. “The city of Madison, and every other city, have no room for hate.”
Although the innocent families and children of Israel and Gaza are seeing the worst of this tragedy, it is clear the effects of the war have been felt by college students and continue to impact their campuses.