Wexner Foundation cuts ties with Harvard after Israeli billionaire Ofer quits board

The Wexner Foundation philanthropy group announced on Monday that it has cut ties with Harvard University. In a statement, the Foundation noted the “dismal failure of Harvard’s leadership to take a clear and unequivocal stand against the barbaric murders of innocent Israeli civilians by terrorists last Saturday.”

The announcement by Wexner comes on the back of Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer and his wife Batia quitting a Harvard executive board.

“Unfortunately, our faith in the University’s leadership has been broken and we cannot in good faith continue to support Harvard and its committees,” the couple said in a statement.

Harvard University.

Idan Ofer is valued at nearly $20 billion and is ranked among the world’s 100 most wealthy people.

“We denounce those who seek to place blame on the people of Israel for the atrocities committed by the terrorist organisation, Hamas,” the Ofers said.

Earlier this week, the Harvard Club of Israel released a statement condemning one of the oldest and most respected academic universities for failing to take a clear stand against the terrorism committed by Hamas - all while 34 student groups had published a joint statement condoning these atrocities and “admonishing Israelis for having brought this on themselves.”

“From the outset, the leadership of Harvard, one of the oldest and most venerated academic institutions in the world, failed to take a stand against terrorism--or even make any statement at all--until backlash from the pro-Hamas letter forced the administration’s hand,” the statement said. “At that point, President \[Claudine\] Gay and several other senior administrators penned a lukewarm acknowledgement of ‘death and destruction’, and emphasizing the need for ‘dialogue’.”

The statement is in reference to a letter written by the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee stating that students "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence", which was co-signed by more than 30 student groups. The letter was almost immediately condemned by other students and faculty, and soon after a counter-statement was released by 17 further Harvard groups and staff members who called the initial letter “completely wrong and deeply offensive.”