Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen blocked a resolution Thursday from Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley condemning pro-Hamas protests happening on college campuses nationwide.
Hawley announced Wednesday he would be introducing a Senate resolution to condemn Hamas and the antisemitic student activist organizations rallying in support of Hamas across college campuses. He attempted to get the resolution passed with unanimous consent Thursday but Van Hollen objected to the resolution’s adoption. (RELATED: Biden Tells Netanyahu It Appears ‘The Other Team’ Is Responsible For Brutal Hospital Strike)
.@HawleyMO just tried to pass a resolution condemning antisemitic student actions on college campuses across the U.S.
Sen. Van Hollen blocked it. Said it smeared students engaged in pro-Palestine/anti-Israel protests.
Then leaves, as Hawley responds. pic.twitter.com/E4l3do6FTO
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) October 19, 2023
Van Hollen and Hawley had a heated exchange on the Senate floor when the Maryland senator accused Hawley of “smearing” all of the college students participating in protests.
“What you are doing here is smearing all of the students who engage in these protests, yes you are, and that is wrong,” Van Hollen said.
“There are student groups that may have legitimate concerns,” he added, as Hawley attempted to interrupt. “Legitimate concerns about the loss of innocent civilian life in Gaza,” Van Hollen asserted.
“It’s hard to believe what we’ve just heard on this floor,” Hawley stated after Van Hollen left the floor. “Defense of the most vile, antisemitic rhetoric under the excuse that, to call out specifically, the specific statements and denounce them one at a time and say this is wrong, that that is somehow a smear. What that is a failure of moral nerve,” Hawley stated.
He pointed to a billboard with a quote from the University of North Carolina’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) Chapter expressing solidarity with Hamas. SJP outposts on campuses across America have staged rallies for Hamas in the wake of the terrorist organizations attacks on Israel that claimed more than 1,000 lives, including at least 30 American citizens.
Democrats just BLOCKED my resolution condemning violent, genocidal, anti-Semitic rhetoric on America’s college campuses. Think about that. https://t.co/kyHQPrRb39
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 19, 2023
“Democrats just BLOCKED my resolution condemning violent, genocidal, anti-Semitic rhetoric on America’s college campuses. Think about that,” Hawley said on Twitter.
Van Hollen’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.