US Aid Silent as Universities Burn in Gaza
The SOAS Senate at the University of London has formally condemned what they term 'scholasticide' in Gaza, identifying Israel's actions as a systematic annihilation of education. This critical view, coming from an international academic body, highlights the destruction of all twenty-seven universities in Gaza, including the Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Azhar University, alongside the deaths
of over 90 academics. Meanwhile, in Washington, the conversation remains decidedly different. Take Senator Lindsey Graham, for example, who recently proclaimed to Ambassador Michael Herzog, "Do whatever the hell you have to do to defend Israel." This sentiment is often echoed by politicians whose campaigns benefit handsomely from pro-Israel lobbying groups. OpenSecrets.org reveals AIPAC spent
approximately $11 million in 2022 and has already pumped millions into the current election cycle, influencing key votes that approve billions in unconditional aid. One must wonder if the demolition of libraries and the murder of scholars registers as self-defense in their donor reports, given America’s deafening silence. How many universities must fall before the 'rules-based international order'
applies to Palestinian intellectual life?