NYU’s Student Government Assembly said in a Thursday statement that it condemns Israel’s escalating bombardment of southern Lebanon and that it is “concerned” about university leadership’s “lack of acknowledgement” of the attacks. 

In the statement, which was presented at an SGA meeting three weeks ago, the student government expressed support for all students affected by Israel’s ground invasion in Lebanon, which has killed more than 2,800 people and incited student and faculty demonstrations on campus. Zahraa Al-Saif, the senator at-large for Arab students and Shia Muslims who presented the letter, said she felt it was necessary for the SGA “to take a stance” and promote Lebanese relief efforts in an interview with WSN.

“I saw the effect directly with a few students that I know are of Lebanese descent, or have families in Lebanon, who were very distressed by this news, who were very upset that it felt like an invisible tragedy, that nobody was talking about it or was acknowledging it,” Al-Saif said.

In early October, Al-Saif presented a draft of the letter to the SGA, which then passed to other members who suggested amendments and changes. She and the SGA chair, Angela Chou, then updated it accordingly, and sent the statement to the rest of the student government to vote. 

Al-Saif told WSN that student groups on campus, including the Muslim Student Association, have been organizing relief efforts for Lebanon and Palestine, and criticized NYU for not publicly addressing the ongoing invasion. She said that recognizing the attacks would be “the first of many other steps needed to start action.”

NYU spokesperson John Beckman said in a statement that the Division of Student Affairs has reached out directly to students from Lebanon and others affected by the recent bombardment to offer support, and said the university will “take whatever steps are helpful” to address the students’ needs. 

In a letter obtained by WSN, Dean of Students Rafael Rodriguez said the university has reached out to 40 international students from Lebanon and 21 student leaders from the Lebanese Club at NYU and the MSA. Rodriguez also said NYU helped organize two student-led teach-ins on Lebanon “scheduled for the coming weeks,” and that the university will host a volunteer event on Nov. 4 where students, faculty and staff will send medical supplies to hospitals in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon.

“I don’t know, specifically, what NYU’s plans are in the future for addressing political flares happening in the world, especially because they have been vocal in the last year,” Al-Saif said. “The stuff that’s happening right now is not very political. It’s human life and human loss.”

The SGA said in the statement that everyone deserves the opportunity “to speak freely and without fear,” and directed students affected by the violence in the region to the university’s mental health, academic and religious resources. The student government also said that it stands with members of the NYU community as they “navigate these incessant tragedies.”

Contact Yezen Saadah at [email protected].