Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., criticized former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for being dismissive of students’ concerns during a recent speech where she referred to anti-Israel student protesters as ignorant about Middle Eastern affairs. Clinton stated that these students lack knowledge about the history of the Middle East, including an offer made to Palestinians for a state on 96% of the existing territory occupied by Palestinians. Van Hollen on CBS’s “Face the Nation” expressed disagreement with Clinton’s remarks, stating that they were dismissive of the students’ concerns over the humanitarian crisis and high civilian death toll in Gaza.
Anti-Israel student protests have erupted at schools across the country following the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel and Israel’s military response. Van Hollen emphasized the importance of ensuring that students feel safe on campus and condemned antisemitism and hate speech. He acknowledged that while there are some bad elements involved in the protests, he believes that the majority of students are following closely what is happening in Gaza and are aware of the high civilian death toll. Van Hollen stressed that there is no place for hate speech, antisemitism, or violence of any kind on college campuses.
Clinton’s claims about students being ignorant about global and national history were based on multiple conversations with young people over the past few months. The former Secretary of State has faced direct confrontation from angry students, including being shouted down by pro-Palestinian protesters during a speech at Columbia University in February. The man shouted, “Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, you are a war criminal!” as Clinton walked onto the stage. The Clinton Foundation did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Van Hollen emphasized the importance of supporting the right of Americans to peacefully protest while ensuring that students feel safe on campus. He reiterated that there is no place for hate speech, antisemitism, or violence of any kind. Despite the presence of some bad elements in the protests, Van Hollen believes that the majority of students are informed about and concerned with the civilian casualties in Gaza. He highlighted the need to stamp out antisemitism and hate wherever it is seen, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe and inclusive environment for students on college campuses.
In her speech, Clinton referenced a past offer made to Palestinians for a state on 96% of the existing territory occupied by Palestinians, with 4% of Israel to be given to reach 100% of the hoped-for territory. She criticized the anti-Israel protesters for being unaware of this historical context and accused them of lacking understanding of the complexities of the Middle East. Clinton’s remarks drew criticism from Van Hollen, who believed that her comments were dismissive of the students’ concerns about the humanitarian crisis and civilian death toll in Gaza. The ongoing protests at schools across the country highlight the deep divide and complex issues surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
