Harvard professor says university was ‘not ready’ after Hamas attack on Israel

An adjunct professor at Harvard recently spoke out about the prevalence of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus, following an apology from the university’s president, Alan Garber. Eugene Litvak, who teaches at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, expressed his disappointment in the university’s response to the issue.

Litvak told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that Harvard was not prepared to address the anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic behavior that emerged after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th. He stated, “What happened at Harvard after October 7th, and [at] the university, in my opinion, again, that’s my personal opinion, the university was not ready to face these kinds of challenges. None of the universities were ready.”

Despite his disappointment, Litvak commended President Garber for acknowledging the problem in a letter of apology. He emphasized the importance of recognizing and formulating the problem in order to address it effectively. Litvak stated, “I think that’s a step in the absolutely right direction. I would like to see the fruits of it. But again, I was very, very pleased because of the acknowledgment that there is such a problem.”

President Donald Trump weighed in on the issue, announcing on Truth Social that the administration would be “taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status,” citing their failure to address antisemitism and Islamophobia. The Trump administration also froze over $2 billion in grants and contracts after Harvard refused to comply with federal demands regarding the issue.

In addition to addressing the cultural issues at Harvard, Litvak highlighted the impending danger facing publicly funded healthcare programs like Medicaid and Medicare. He expressed concern over Medicare potentially becoming insolvent by 2036 and emphasized the need for efficiency improvements in government spending on healthcare.

As tensions between the Trump Administration and Harvard continue, a lawsuit over $2.2 billion in frozen research grants remains ongoing. The funds may be held up into the summer, potentially impacting important research work at the university. Despite the challenges, Litvak remains committed to pushing for positive change in the public healthcare space and improving efficiency in government spending.

Overall, the situation at Harvard serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing issues of discrimination and prejudice on college campuses and the critical need for efficient and effective healthcare programs to serve the American public.