After condemning antisemitic attacks, Rutgers University-New Brunswick Chancellor & Provost apologize to Palestinian community members

According to Greg Price at The Daily Caller, Rutgers Chancellor Dr. Christopher J. Molloy, and Dr. Francine Conway, provost and executive vice chancellor for research and academic affairs, sent the announcement Wednesday, which condemned the spike in hate crimes against Jews since the conflict between Israel and began earlier this month.

"Recent incidents of hate directed toward Jewish members of our community again remind us of what history has to teach us. Tragically, in the last century alone, acts of prejudice and hatred left unaddressed have served as the foundation for many atrocities against targeted groups around the world."

The email obtained by The Daily Caller encouraged members of the community to utilize services on campus if they had "been adversely impacted by anti-Semitic or any other discriminatory incidents in our community, please do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling and other support services on campus. Our behavioral health team stands ready to support you through these challenging times."

A brief mention of the conflict between Israel and Hamas may have been a step too far for some members of the community. "We have also been witnesses to the increasing violence between Israeli forces and Hamas in the Middle East leading to the deaths of children and adults and mass displacement of citizens in the Gaza region and the loss of lives in Israel."

The following day, Molloy and Conway sent another announcement to the community entitled "An Apology."

The new message, also obtained by The Daily Caller, apologized to the university’s Palestinian community members. "In hindsight, it is clear to us that the message failed to communicate support for our Palestinian community members. We sincerely apologize for the hurt that this message has caused. Our diversity must be supported by equity, inclusion, antiracism, and the condemnation of all forms of bigotry and hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia."

The email concluded "As we grow in our personal and intuitional understanding, we will take the lesson learned here to heart, and pledge our commitment to doing better. We will work to regain your trust, and make sure that our communications going forward are much more sensitive and balanced."

According to The Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents across the US are up 68 percent since the recent conflict began.