UW-Milwaukee officially calls for Israel to stop defending itself and release THEIR hostages?!?
In a controversial move, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee leaders have aligned themselves with pro-Hamas activists who have occupied a section of the campus for several days. The activists, who renamed a state-owned building after an individual who praised the brutal terrorist attacks of October 7th, reached a settlement with the University. They will dismantle the tent city now that UWM is demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and is calling for Israel to release what they term as Palestinian “hostages.”
Who authorized the UWM Chancellor to make proclamations regarding Israel’s response to terrorist attacks is unclear.
The university’s stance implies that Israel must release its own “hostages.” The fact that UWM, a taxpayer funded university, released such an outrageous statement is bad enough. Worse, by doing so they spoke on behalf of not just the few dozen lawbreakers who illegally camped on state owned land, but all the students. And faculty . And staff. In fact, all the taxpayers who fund UW’s budget.
Chancellor Mark Mone may have thought a little press release was a small price to pay to buy peace and and end to the occupation at UWM, but he may be in for a rude awakening.
This action could very well put the UWM budget in the crosshairs of legislators who appropriate funds to the UW System.
Part of the agreement signed by UWM draws a troubling moral equivalence between the Jewish hostages abducted and held by Hamas and combatant prisoners detained by Israel since Oct. 7, referring to them all as “hostages.” It calls for the release of Israeli and international hostages held by Hamas, as well as Palestinian individuals detained in military facilities in Israel.
The ridiculous statement even fails to acknowledge that some of the hostages abducted and held (perhaps already killed) by Hamas are American citizens.
The document came close to accusing Israel of genocide, referencing a claim by a United Nations expert and the International Criminal Court dubbing the conflict as a “plausible genocide.”
Chancellor Mark Mone, Provost Andrew Daire, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chia Vang, and Dean of Students Adam Jussel jointly announced the agreement on the evening of May 12. Their letter was addressed to “UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition” and the following groups were CC’d on the memo
- UWM Students for a Democratic Society
- UWM Muslim Student Association
- UWM Students for Justice in Palestine
- UN-PAC (Political Action Committee) at UWM
- Young Democratic Socialists of America at UWM
Other than public statements, it is not known if Chancellor Mone updated the Governor or members of the State Senate or State Assembly regarding his negotiated settlement and provocative statement.
Lawmakers in Madison may seek answers from Mone, soon.
Get our daily Key Reads sent to your inbox for free every weekday. Click below.
