Blinken criticizes that protests at US universities do not talk about Hamas attacks

Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, has criticized the demonstrations at universities around the country by highlighting the absence of references to the acts of Hamas and the attacks that the Islamist group began in Israel on October 7.

Blinken specified at the World Economic Forum, held in Saudi Arabia, that he would like other elements to be reflected in the words and actions of the protesters: “I don’t hear any mention of Hamas,” he said.

“Where is Hamas’s demand for accountability? There has been silence. It’s almost like he’s been erased from history,” Blinken said of the Hamas attacks, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of more than 200 hostages.

Although the secretary acknowledged that he “deeply” understands the indignation expressed by protesters on university campuses, he has asked students to reflect.

Blinken further suggested that none of the suffering and deaths that have occurred since the start of the war with Israel would have occurred if Hamas had returned the hostages, laid down its weapons and surrendered.

Blinken’s statements come after hundreds of people ended up arrested on several campuses around the country in confrontations between protesters and authorities over the weekend.

Faced with these turbulent days of protests, President Joe Biden called them “anti-Semitic demonstrations,” and expressed his rejection of those who “do not understand what is happening in Palestine.”

The protests began at Columbia University in New York and spread to campuses in dozens of states, including Georgia, Indiana, California and Texas. They have in common the rejection of US policy towards Israel and have called for educational centers to break relations with the government and the private sector of Israel.

With information from EFE