‘We cannot be selective in our moral outrage:’ students speak out on Israel-Hamas war

Editor's notes: 

-  A quote previously published said Jewish Life did not respond to the violence in Gaza. However, in a weekly newsletter, Jewish Life did respond by condemning the violence in Gaza.

- The start of the Israel-Palestinian conflict has been contested by both sides. Nakba, or "catastrophe" is how Palestinians refer to the mass exodus of Palestinians in 1948.

Many students at the University of Richmond and colleges across the country have been feeling scared, sad and under-supported since the start of the Israel-Hamas war almost three weeks ago.

“Everyone’s in pain, not just the Jewish people,” said Jewish Life Advisory Council Member and sophomore Saige Beatman. “It’s very complex, and we recognize that. And we don’t hold a monopoly on pain right now. And so that's hard trying to balance everybody's suffering.” 

Hamas, a militant movement designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, attacked Israel on Oct. 7. A couple of hours later, Israel retaliated with airstrikes targeting Hamas, and declared war the next day.

These events sparked a nationwide debate over whether college presidents should be weighing in, with many opting to remain silent. 

UR President Kevin Hallock chose to recognize “the impact of violence on the people of that region and on many members of our campus community,” Cynthia Price, Associate Vice President for Communications and Media Relations, wrote in an email to The Collegian on Wednesday. Hallock sent an email to the UR community on Oct. 11, describing Hamas’ attacks as “abhorrent” and recognizing the suffering of those in both Israel and Gaza.

“In times like these, it is more important than ever that we take care of ourselves and look out for others,” Hallock wrote.

The message had mixed reactions from students. 

One recurrent comment from students was that his statement referenced only the attacks by Hamas. Israel’s reaction to heavy air bombardments that flattened city blocks in Gaza was not directly referenced in the message.

“Yes, [Hamas] attacked first, but he fails to mention that right after, Israel attacked,” said sophomore and Muslim Life Intern Sumaya Fawaz. “Only acknowledging one side makes it seem like there's a clear enemy, when in this issue there are people who harm people on both sides.”

Hamas’ invasion of Israeli neighborhoods along the Gaza border killed at least 1,400 people. Since then, more than 5,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed by Israeli forces, according to the United Nation’s report of figures from the defacto Palestinian authorities. 

“You're saying that [fewer] people in Israel have a higher value of life than the thousands of people in Palestine,” sophomore Ifti Alam said about Hallock’s letter.

One pro-Palestinian student said the statement made it seem like “Israel [was] just being attacked by a certain terrorist group, just coming out of nowhere, just because they're terrorists. Therefore, now [Israelis] are just defending themselves.”

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing for over 75 years, since the 1948 Palestinian expulsion known in Arabic as the Nakba according to a timeline by The United Nations. One study states the Nakba displaced over 700,000 Palestinians into refugee settlement camps in neighboring Arab nations and Latin American countries.

Zionists, who believe in a Jewish nation, argue Jews have had historic ties to Israel for over 3700 years. 

Some students felt differently and found that Hallock’s message addressed what it needed to. 

“I think it was a very unbiased email,” one student said. “Saying that the attacks that happened on Israel were horrible was completely valid because it is considered a terrorist attack. I think certain students are expecting some sort of acknowledgment for what the Israeli government has been doing, which yes, what the Israeli government has been doing is also equally as horrible. But it's not a terrorist attack, at the end of the day.”

This student, who is Jewish, asked The Collegian to remain anonymous because of safety concerns. 

“I think that other students that have been affected by the situation equally deserve the same amount of support from the administration, but I don't think they were necessarily left out in [Hallock’s] letter,” they continued.

Some students wondered why university presidents, including Hallock, waited until the violence by Hamas to weigh in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which for years has grown in intensity.

“One thing that was kind of frustrating is that this letter comes when harm was done in Israel, and that’s why it was sent out initially,” Fawaz said. “Every year in Ramadan when there’s prayers going on, Israeli forces come and they attack the [Palestinian] people. People die every year. People are wounded, and never has any statement by [UR]... been made about that. But when the situation affects Westerners more, then that’s when we send out a statement.” Fawaz referred to recurring raids of the al-Aqsa Mosque by Israelis during the Islamic holy month. 

Junior Jamilah Ganyuma said UR should recognize Palestinians who have been displaced by the Israeli government. 

“I think that by ignoring the decades the Israeli government has terrorized and killed and forcibly displaced Palestinians and not acknowledging that is just sweeping it under the rug,” Ganyuma said. 

Anonymous students have sent multiple copies of a letter to President Hallock and the UR administration since his statement, asking “What will it take for [the administration] to recognize the massacre going on against Palestinians?” The letter also included various statistics about the number of Palestinians killed since Oct. 7, as well as the history of the conflict. 

“We, like you, object to the killing of unarmed civilians, but we cannot be selective in our moral outrage. The dramatic loss of life and violence have been long-going and didn’t start with the attack on Israel last weekend,” reads the letter. 

Many Jewish students were unsatisfied with Hallock’s message as well, according to a student affiliated with Jewish Life. 

“I think the letter was very vague. I think they could have specifically said that Hamas does not represent everybody. It’s a terrorist group. I think they could have done a better job denouncing that without trying to blame Palestine,” they said. “I’m all for Palestinian rights, but I don’t believe that Hamas represents Palestinians.”

Many students expressed their appreciation that Hallock released a message at all, as many college administrators did not. 

“To be fair to President Hallock,” Alam said, “it’s one of the best statements that I've seen from universities, institutions that have been put out. So honestly, hats off to President Hallock for being as neutral and as empathetic as he could have been.”

Hallock listed resources for students in need of support in his statement: the Office of the Chaplaincy, Counseling and Psychological Services, Westhampton and Richmond College Deans’ Offices and the Employee Assistance Program. 

Most students agreed that the chaplaincy is an important resource to students and that support from the chaplains has been strong. Both Jewish and Muslim Life have provided spaces for each community to come together and talk about the conflict, students said. 

“All the people in the chaplaincy are working really, really hard right now, and that doesn't go unnoticed,” Beatman said. 

She said that most of the support she had received had come from within Jewish Life. 

“I think the fact that it’s only your own community that has to be the one to deal with it is kind of telling,” Beatman said. 

More students have become involved with both Jewish and Muslim life and attended events since Oct. 7 than before, affiliated students said.

Jewish Life held a lament Oct. 11 to grieve and pray for lives lost and those who continue to suffer in Israel. Muslim Life has organized a janāzah, a ritual prayer for the deceased, scheduled for Oct. 27. 

Some students said that framing the chaplaincy as the main resource with few other options limited support for non-affiliated and non-religious students. 

Eva Steinitz, a Jewish student with pro-Palestinian views, expressed that the chaplaincy is not a resource for her, as she has not felt welcome in Hillel due to her anti-Zionist beliefs. One student leader called Steinitz a “self-hating Jew,” she said.

“Richmond Jewish Life refuses to separate itself from Israel, whereas I find the conflation of Judaism with Israel to be antisemitic itself,” Steinitz said. “I was pretty disgusted by how quick Jewish Life was to denounce Hamas and send out several emails after Oct. 7th...They claim to see both sides, but I have never felt seen.” 

Some students expressed that CAPS and the deans’ offices, while beneficial in terms of emotional support, do not have the means to address the situation. 

“Talking about our mental health and how this has personally impacted students on campus is important. That being said, it is not the only thing we should be doing right now,” Fawaz said. “We are not the ones whose lives are being threatened by airstrikes. We should be using our privilege and position to do more.”

Fawaz suggested the school hold a discussion space to talk about the devastating reality for Palestinians and Israelis, both now and historically.

“Ignorance is very harmful. And even more than that, misinformation is very harmful,” Fawaz said.  

Alam agreed that an event for discussion should be organized by the chaplaincies or administration, either as an interfaith event or campus-wide. 

Beatman stressed the importance of having open conversations with “the community, beyond just Jewish people.” 

A Palestinian student, who asked to remain anonymous, said they would like to see speakers who have the credentials to speak on this topic brought to speak at UR. 

“You would think with the amount of money that they have in various organizations across campus they would be able to offer some kind of talk with historians, researchers, etc.,” they wrote in an email. “Having the opportunity/resource to educate your students is imperative in this moment. I am just disappointed that the school has not done anything [publicly] in that regard.” 

Ganyuma, who also referenced the dangers of misinformation, suggested an information session open to all students.

Sophomore and Hillel Intern Zoe Epstein said that the conflict needs to be acknowledged through discussion, especially in the classroom. 

Contact news writer Solace Church at solace.church@richmond.edu.