(Headline USA) Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received an earful from a fellow Democrat this week for being “dismissive” of radical anti-Israel student protesters.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday that Clinton should be more understanding of student protesters’ cause.
The criticism came after Clinton blasted the protesters last week, arguing they were uninformed about history and foreign policy.
“They don’t know very much at all about the history of the Middle East, or, frankly, about history in many areas of the world, including our own country,” she said, specifically citing her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and his efforts to offer a two-state solution to then-Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
“They don’t know that … an offer was made to Palestinians for a state on 96% of the existing territory occupied by the Palestinians, with 4% of Israel to be given to reach 100% of the amount of territory that was hoped for,” she added.
Clinton, currently a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, faced regular heckling and disruptions from pro-Hamas agitators throughout the semester following the Oct. 7 terrorist attack and Israeli military response in Gaza.
However, Van Hollen slammed her efforts to provide the potential Democrat voters with unnecessary historical context that failed to take their feelings fully into account.
“Secretary Clinton’s comments … were quite dismissive of students’ concerns about the awful humanitarian crisis and high civilian death toll in Gaza,” he said.
“The great majority of the students are protesting, are following very closely what’s happening in Gaza,” Van Hollen claimed, contrary to evidence.
NYU student with nose ring asked why she is participating in the Pro-Palestine protest.
Her response?
“ I really don’t know. I’m pretty sure…about Israel.”
She then turns to another student and asks:
“Do you know why we are protesting?"
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) April 24, 2024
Van Hollen went on to cite the high civilian death toll—although the United Nations on Sunday revised that total, acknowledging that the real number was, in fact, about 50% less than what it had been claiming based on the information supplied by Hamas officials.
“We can certainly revisit history and past negotiations,” Van Hollen continued. “But I believe that the overwhelming majority of students—not all, and…there are some very bad elements that are involved, as well as on the counter protest side—but I believe that the students do understand what’s happening in Gaza with respect to the civilian casualties.”
The open criticism of Clinton represents a larger split within the Democratic Party over the conflict in Gaza.
A growing number of Democrats have started distancing themselves from Israel’s military campaign, including President Joe Biden himself, likely due to fears of backlash from young and leftist voters.
