Unrest on college campuses increased during the 60’s and early 70’s.  Racial tension rose following the assassination of Martin Luther King, and painfully slow desegregation after the rejection of the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson  in 1896. Combined with the growing unease and concern with our role in Vietnam where thousands of young American servicemen were killed, times were turbulent and college students joined forces in protest.

Today, similar unrest is being demonstrated on many campuses, but not due to domestic and international policies of the United States. Hate and prejudice are being exhibited by students as antisemitism and Israeli support grows in constituencies which confront each other based on recent events in the Middle East.

The horrific slaughter of Israelis by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 is cited by supporters of Israel to justify the retaliatory attacks against Hamas in Gazan villages regardless of civilian casualties. Palestinian supporters on campuses resort to antisemitic rhetoric and acts against Jewish students.

In the meantime, too many college presidents and leaders, in an attempt to straddle the fence between students with differing beliefs and backgrounds, simply adopt a neutral attitude of “let’s get along” rather than strongly condemn the prejudicial labels which many students now assign to each other. This lack of leadership continues to allow student animosity to foment by not condemning this rhetoric and resulting violence on both sides.

Hamas was ruthless and barbaric in its attacks on innocent Israelis. It deserves to be eliminated. However, the Gaza Palestinian population is not beholden to Hamas. A greater degree of humanitarian aid and protection for Gaza Palestinian citizens from potential military attacks should be adopted by Israel in seeking to eliminate Hamas.

Too many college-age Jewish and Palestinian students refuse to acknowledge those facts.

Most importantly, college presidents and leaders need to put an end to the growing hatred on their campuses.

Rather than stay neutral and enable prejudice to continue to spread like a virus over college campuses, college presidents and leaders should plant necessary and important humanitarian seeds in their students.

Steve Kramer is a graduate of Amherst College and a former Assistant Attorney General in Massachusetts.