Published on February 10, 2024, 2:09 am

A protest against Israel at Harvard University was recently broken up by a crowd of South Korean Christians. As students yelled phrases like “from the river to the sea,” indicating support for the complete eradication of Israel, members from Newsong Worship Teens countered with worship music and pro-Israeli messages. The group’s pastor, Joseph Kim, expressed through a translator that South Korea supports Israel and his group has arrived to counteract what he perceives as an overly liberal climate at Harvard.

Harvard university has been facing criticism due to its response to Hamas’ acts of violence, with accusations of neglecting Jewish students and fostering anti-Semitism looming large. A lawsuit previously filed by Jewish students claimed that the institution selectively enforces its policies, thereby failing to shield them from harassment.

The protest spearheaded by anti-Israel demonstrators was criticized by Pastor Joseph Kim who suggested that these students are indoctrinated, supporting violence without understanding its consequences. He paralleled it as unfortunate since this unjustified support came from an esteemed academic institution like Harvard.

Kim’s group primarily raises awareness about North Korea’s oppressive regime and were taken aback by witnessing American college students side with supporters of their adversarial northern neighbor.

The demonstration led by the Newsong Worship Teens boasted a substantial presence and garnered considerable online attention. Video footage shared on their YouTube channel –which boasts around 158,000 subscribers – documented the event in detail.

Billed as a call for ceasefire and divestment, the anti-Israel gathering attracted approximately 150 people—less than earlier protests subsequent to Hamas’ attack against Israeli civilians on October 7th. Notably, among those advocating this cause was Harvard Medical School assistant professor Nasrien E. Ibrahim who urged Harvard University to decline donations influenced or hindered free speech or course curriculum on campus.

Apart from these key highlights pointing towards prevailing tensions in academic settings over geopolitical disputes, it is also noteworthy how such discord is navigated within America’s real world and trusted news from a Christian worldview.