“Professor of Peacebuilding, Development, Global Studies Timothy Seidel has studied the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine for a significant time, and has lived in Palestine “Where do we begin? Oct. 7, 2023? Or 2006? Or 1967? Or 1948? Or 1917? He then went on to say, “All of these historical moments are critical to understanding the catastrophe of the current moment, not an ahistorical episode but as a historical continuity and even structure of settler colonialism.”
“(…) While the recent attack from Hamas has brought the tension back into the public eye, Sidel stressed that the public must recognize that the fighting did not start on Oct. 7.”
September 14: Erika Lopez publishes “Royals Travel The World For Summer Opportunities”, in this article, Junior Karla Hostetter shared this regarding her experiences on the Israel-Palestine cross-cultural trip: “The biggest takeaways from this cross-cultural experience included a change in perspective and a respect for resilient and hospitable Palestinian people who fight to live a normal life each day within an overbearing and corrupted government.”
September 20: As part of the University Colloquium series, Seidel presents “Violence, Nonviolence, and Resistance: Sumud and Struggle in Palestine.”
October 7: Current iteration of the conflict begins with HAMAS’s attack on Israel.
October 12: Senior Will Blosser publishes an opinion article titled “The Dangers of False Neutrality.” “There are occupiers, who happen to be backed by the most powerful country in the world, and there are the occupied, who live in an open-air prison. How can these two diametrically opposed and unequal groups somehow share equal fault?” wrote Blosser.
Israel announces that Gaza will not receive water, fuel, or electricity until the hostages are freed.
October 18: EMU hosts a prayer vigil for those affected by the violence in Palestine. This was led by Seidel, and written by MCC Canada executive director Rick Cober Bauman. From this prayer: “O God, whose heart breaks for the world, / May your justice dwell in the land / May your righteousness abide in fruitful fields / May the effect of righteousness be quietness and trust forever / May the effect of justice be peace—enduring peace. / Amen.”
EMU students attend a ceasefire protest in DC, which was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow.
October 19: A service of prayer and lament is hosted at Community Mennonite Church, which is attended by many EMU community members.
October 24: EMU Hosts first teach-in on the contemporary Israel-Palestine conflict. This was organized by students Genesis Figueroa (Sophomore), Esme Martin (First-year), and professor Seidel.
October 28: A vigil is held at Court Square.
November 1: Another prayer vigil is hosted at EMU.
November 4: Many EMU students, staff, and community members attend “The National March on Washington: Free Palestine” in support of a ceasefire and Palestinian liberation. Sophia Sherrill wrote about her experience at this protest in her article “Free, Free, Free Palestine!”
“Hamas does not represent all Palestinians, nor does the Israeli government represent all Israelis. If we are to call Hamas a terrorist government for its attack on Israel, then the same must be true for Israel and the US government.”
November 8: Junior Miciah Landis posted this message in the Royal Radar, “Some other students and I have written a letter calling for EMU as an institution to create a statement in support of a ceasefire in Gaza. Please look at this form to read the letter and consider adding your name to the list of signatures.”
November 10-11: Senior Hannah Beck presents this letter, then containing 141 student and faculty signatures, to the EMU Board of Trustees at their scheduled meeting.
November 14: A follow-up group of letter writers and SGA leaders meet with President Susan Schultz-Huxman and Provost Tynisha Willingham to discuss EMU’s response to the letter. In this meeting, it was made clear that the EMU board would not be making a statement supporting a ceasefire, as they did not believe such a statement would have a meaningful impact, and feared it would endanger students.
November 16: Senior Caleb Stoltzfus publishes “EMU’S RESPONSE TO ONGOING CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE INCLUDES EVENTS AND STUDENT EFFORTS.” in The Weather Vane.
Senior Sophia Sherrill publishes “FREE, FREE, FREE PALESTINE!” in The Weather Vane
November 18: “Game Day” protest happens at JMU.
November 22: Thanksgiving Break
November 24 – December 1: A 7 day ceasefire is held in Israel-Palestine to facilitate the release of 63 total hostages. 24 hostages were released by HAMAS, and 39 were released by Israel.
Armed conflict immediately resumes upon the end of the ceasefire.
November 28: Mennonite Action, a grassroots, Mennonite-led activist group forms in mid-to-late November in response to the ongoing conflict. They hold their first mass call on this day.
November 29: EMU hosts”Stories from Palestine,” an awareness fundraiser for Palestinian peace efforts. Students shared stories of hope from the previous summer’s Israel-Palestine intercultural trip.
Student activists observe International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
December 4: Juniors Micaiah Landis and Aidan Yoder send a follow-up email to signers of the letter, reaffirming their commitment in pressuring EMU to release a statement in support of a permanent ceasefire, and recapping the previous month’s efforts.
December 6: The EMU Administration sends an email titled “Reaffirmation of EMU as a Peace and Justice University,” to the campus body. In this email, President Schultz-Huxman outlines EMU’s commitment to peace, justice, and nonviolence in response to the violence on October 7. From that email: “To that end, we recommit ourselves to these principles. Nonviolence is at the heart of the gospel; Jesus calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves.”
December 9: A vigil is held at Court Square.
December 19: Mennonite Action organizes a demonstrative march to Rep. Ben Cline’s office in Harrisonburg, with the aim of pressuring the congressman to sign a ceasefire resolution. Prayers are shared by those who attended.
January 16: Mennonite Action members and collaborators gather in DC to call on elected leaders to support an immediate ceasefire resolution in Gaza. Attendees of the protest sang hymns, prayed, and shared stories of liberation and hope while sitting peacefully in the Cannon House Office Building. In the aftermath of the protest, nearly 150 people were arrested, some of which were EMU students.
January 22: As a part of EMU’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities, the film “There is a Field“ is shown on campus, highlighting themes of Black-Palestinian solidarity.
January 25: Blosser publishes “Social Media, The Internet, and Palestine” in The Weather Vane.
Sophomore Eli Stoll publishes “EMU Students and Staff Participate in a Call for Ceasefire,” to The Weather Vane, recounting events from the Jan. 16 protest.
February 15: Stoltzfus publishes “Rising Zionism in the United States.”
February 20: Mennonite Action leads a protest at Harrisonburg City Hall.
February 26: EMU hosts another teach-in and student panel in the Student Union. Some students who were arrested in D.C. shared stories of their connection to the cause of Palestinian liberation.
February 27: Harrisonburg City officially makes a call for a ceasefire in Gaza, making it the first city in Virginia to do so.
February 29: Caleb Metzler publishes “Harrisonburg Mennonites Hold Protest for Palestine.”
Blosser publishes “The Politics of Lighting Yourself on Fire.”
Blosser and Furr publish “EMU Hosts Opportunity to Learn, Connect, and Reflect on Palestine Conflict.”
March 15: Juniors Meredith Lehman, Lauryn Moor, and Noussaiba Garti organize a protest demonstration outside of the Campus Center, prompted by the beginning of multiple Board of Trustees meetings, with the intent to push the board to make a statement regarding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza; a request which had been outlined in a Student Government Association email to the administration the week prior. On this protest, Garti shared: “Lauryn and I felt that it was really urgent to try and speak to the voices making such big decisions before they did.”
March 18: Around 80 students gathered in Martin Chapel with the intent to engage in a walk-out protest; an action which was sparked by preceding rumors and anecdotes over the weekend that EMU would not be calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Student activists organized and introduced a symbolic bell-ringing ceremony on this day, as well. 50 community members took turns ringing the EMU community bell once every four seconds in hour shifts from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; each ring representing a life lost in Palestine. This continued
March 19: The President’s Office released a statement condemning the indiscriminate violence in Israel-Palestine, and urging the Biden administration and Congress to call for a humanitarian pause, including a ceasefire in Gaza. The letter also recognized the violations of human rights committed by all involved parties, quote: “The significant loss of life, as well as torture, abuse, and mass starvation occurring among innocents—mostly women and children—are war crimes.”
March 20: A gathering of students, staff, and community members met again at Thomas Plaza to reconnect after the week’s events. A similar cast of student leaders led the gathering in singing hymns, and shared new stories of their connection to the Palestinian people. Throughout the event, they shared their appreciation for the letter sent by the administration but also stated that there is much more still to do. “We’re super glad to hear that they will be calling on the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire,” shared first-year Ciela Acosta. “I do think that the email that was sent out was a step in the right direction, and I’m really grateful that happened.”
This was also the last day of the ringing of the bell.
March 21: Blosser and Furr publish “A Week of Protests on EMU’S Campus: A Timeline,” recounting the previous week’s events.
March 26: Mennonite Action organizes a second march to Rep. Cline’s office.
March 30: EMU community members take part in a symbolic “Gaza ceasefire pilgrimage,” walking 11 miles (representing the landmass of Gaza) to raise awareness, consciousness, and solidarity regarding Palestinian liberation.
April 15: EMU hosts a final conflict and development symposium on Palestine-Israel, as part of a 3-part series covering contemporary geopolitical injustices.
Further protests have erupted across the county in response to the violence in Palestine, with students demanding their institutions cease all monetary support of Israel. Of particular concern is the growing unrest on Columbia University’s campus, where NYPD officers have been called-in to detain peaceful student protestors.
