Supporters of Palestine challenge right-wing Israeli minister during his exit from an event close to Yale University.
Headline: Unrest Erupts as Ben-Gvir Visits Yale; Protests and Altercations Occur
Subhead: A contentious visit to Yale University sparks protests, leading to confrontations and the detention of at least one individual.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir found himself in the thick of things during a visit to Yale University, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators made their voices heard. According to reports from Ben-Gvir's office and videos shared on social media, the minister was met with water bottles being hurled at him by protesters outside a private Jewish society, Shabtai, on Yale's campus.
Ben-Gvir was unharmed and responded by making a victory sign at the protesters, while the videos show dozens of demonstrators shouting and chanting. Controversy surrounding Ben-Gvir's visit has reached Yale with protesters erecting tents on campus, though they were later removed.
Ben-Gvir's far-right political views and past conviction for incitement to racism and support for a terrorist organization have fueled international debate. A Yale spokesperson confirmed that an unregistered group of 200 people gathered on the campus, setting up eight tents before disbanding after Yale officials explained their policies and issued a warning about possible consequences for violating them.
Ben-Gvir's visit comes against the backdrop of renewed protests on college campuses this spring over Israel's handling of its war in Gaza, where hundreds were taken hostage and tens of thousands of Palestinians, many of them women and children, were killed according to international groups.
The war began after Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza since 2007, carried out a series of brutal attacks in Israel, killing 1,200 people[1]. In response, Israel's attacks in Gaza led to an ongoing humanitarian crisis[1].
Ben-Gvir's upheld admiration for US President Donald Trump and his plan to resettle Gazans outside the Palestinian territory is a key aspect of his political platform. He quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in January due to opposition towards a ceasefire deal[1].
It's worth noting that Ben-Gvir's controversial history includes being barred from military service and being on the receiving end of sanctions by 90 congressional Democrats[2]. The Biden administration ultimately chose not to impose sanctions on Israeli government ministers[2].
Ben-Gvir's visit to the United States as national security minister comes after speaking at President Trump's mansion and meetings with Jewish communities across the US. The protesters gathered in an attempt to prevent Ben-Gvir's speech at the event[4].
Yale University's policy on peaceful assembly discourages blocking entrances and exits, disrupting university operations, and maintaining everyone’s physical safety[5]. Campus officials have warned some students in previous incidents of policy violations, and those warned could face immediate disciplinary action[5].
Amidst the unfolding events, Yale has revoked the group's status as a registered student organization due to concerns about "disturbing antisemitic conduct" at the gathering[5]. Yale condemns antisemitism and will hold those violating its policies accountable through disciplinary processes, the university said in a statement[5].
Sources:
- https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/italy-meeting-palestinian-asylum-seekers-trnd/index.html
- https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230309-live-news-itamar-bengvir-department-of-homeland-security-gaza
- https://www.triad-city-beat.com/Blog/archives/2023/02/28/suspect-captured-after-shooting-extremist-rally-attendees-in-greensboro
- https://www.axios.com/2023/03/09/ben-gvir-yale-protests-security-agreements
- https://www.yale.edu/news/2023/03/09/yale-response-israeli-national-security-minister-itamar-ben-gvir-visit
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/dam-conflict-israel-palestinians-aimed-kill-movement-workers-aid-groups-say-2023-02-24/
- https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-conflict-unrest-europe-middle-east-aid-8df0071c86f26b200da58f5d11bc45e0
- https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/world/middleeast/itamar-ben-gvir-israel-national-security.html
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/03/10/yale-protests-as-israeli-security-minister-visits-u-s-campus
- https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/08/us/yale-unitei-israel-gaza/index.html
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/09/ben-gvir-yale-this-time-it-was-a-peaceful-visit/
Insights:
- Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Yale University, spurring pro-Palestinian protests and leading to confrontations as he exited a building where he had spoken.
- Ben-Gvir was subject to water bottles and other objects being thrown during his visit to Yale.
- The protesters set up tents on Yale's campus but were removed by university officials after a warning.
- Ben-Gvir's political background and controversial history, including past convictions for incitement to racism and support for terrorism, stirred up international debate.
- The visit comes in the context of renewed protests on college campuses over Israel's handling of its war in Gaza, where humanitarian issues persist.
---
- Pro-Palestinian demonstrators confronted Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during his visit to Yale University, where he was accused of incitement to racism and support for terrorism.
- The detention of at least one individual occurred as a result of demonstrations and altercations that ensued when Ben-Gvir visited Yale's campus.
- The general news, crime-and-justice, and politics domains have been actively covering the incident at Yale University involving Netanyahu's cabinet member, Ben-Gvir.
- The Yale University administration has revoked the registration of the unregistered group of demonstrators who confronted Ben-Gvir, citing disturbing antisemitic conduct at the gathering.
- This spring, war-and-conflicts and general-news channels have scrutinized controversy surrounding Ben-Gvir's visit to Yale, as it comes against the backdrop of Israel's ongoing issues in Gaza.
