Interior Alaska News

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) has expressed strong criticism of a recent anti-Israel protest he encountered at Harvard University's Widener Library. The senator detailed his experience in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal, where he described facing protesters during a visit to his alma mater.

Senator Sullivan shared his concerns about the protest's impact on students, particularly those who are Jewish or Israeli. "Imagine if you were an 18-year-old Jewish or Israeli student, or even a pro-Israel Catholic like me, and you wanted to study for your chemistry final in the Widener Reading Room on a Sunday morning," he wrote. He questioned whether such students would feel welcome amid banners with messages like "Stop the Genocide in Gaza."

Sullivan attributed the protest to the Palestine Solidarity Committee and criticized Harvard's leadership for condoning it. He cited a statement from Jason Riley: "If accusing Israel of genocide isn’t defamation of Jewish people, I don’t know what is." Sullivan also questioned Harvard Corporation's stance on classroom disruptions.

The senator engaged with two organizers of the protest, who identified themselves as being from Saudi Arabia and the West Bank. They accused him of supporting genocide when he opposed a ceasefire in Gaza.

Reflecting on his experience at Harvard, Sullivan contrasted it with his role on the board of visitors for the U.S. Naval Academy, highlighting differences in handling civil discourse and controversial topics between service academies and Ivy League institutions.

Sullivan announced plans to collaborate with other Congress members to address what he sees as moral failings among university leaders: “I believe over the past several weeks a bipartisan consensus has emerged: It is time for Congress to save these important and once-respected institutions from themselves and their weak leaders who have lost their moral compasses.”