Students at Harvard Given 10 Minutes to Protest Anti-Hamas Speaker

Harvard University students hosting Mosab Hassan Yousef, a former Hamas militant turned anti-terrorism advocate, were required to read a university statement allowing protesters to disrupt his speech for up to 10 minutes before being removed. The controversial policy sparked outrage among critics, who argue it effectively sanctions a "heckler’s veto" and undermines free speech.

Yousef, known as the "Green Prince," defected from Hamas to work with Israeli intelligence and has since dedicated his life to speaking out against terrorism. The event, hosted by The Harvard Salient, the university’s conservative publication, came as Harvard continues to grapple with anti-Israel sentiment on campus, including protests, encampments, and harassment of Jewish students.

• Protesters allowed to disrupt for up to 10 minutes before removal, sparking criticism from free speech advocates.

• Mosab Hassan Yousef, former Hamas operative, condemned Hamas’ role in fostering radicalism and terrorism in a passionate speech.

• Harvard has faced increasing scrutiny for its handling of anti-Israel protests, including encampments and disruptions at graduation ceremonies.

Yousef criticized Hamas’ extremist ideology and warned of the dangers of the anti-Israel radicalism that has taken root at universities like Harvard. "Hamas has been up to something really bad, but people are in denial," he said. "We don’t only see it on the streets of Gaza... we saw it on this campus."

Simultaneously, an anti-Israel vigil was held, with participants falsely claiming "genocide" against Palestinians, which Yousef flatly rejected. He pointed to Hamas’ tactic of using human shields and manipulating global sentiment through fabricated social media content, calling on students to be pro-peace rather than anti-Israel.

Shabbos Kestanbaum, a recent Harvard Divinity School graduate suing the university for enabling anti-Semitism, blasted Harvard’s protest policy as "sanctioning temper tantrums," a sentiment echoed by many who fear that free speech is being sacrificed to appease radical protesters.

Yousef ended his speech with a stern warning to those chanting slogans like "Free Palestine" or "From the river to the sea," stating that these phrases advocate the destruction of Israel. "They don't realize the crime they're committing," he said. "You’re calling for a suicidal war... to make a point for your movements."

As Harvard faces increasing pressure over its handling of anti-Israel sentiment, the administration’s policies allowing extended protest disruptions at events like Yousef's lecture are certain to spark further debate about the state of free speech and academic discourse on college campuses.

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