The University of Vermont (UVM) has canceled United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s commencement speech amid pro-Palestinian protests on campus as protests sweep colleges across the nation.

Pro-Palestinian protestors on college campuses across the country have aimed their ire at President Biden and his administration for their handling of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Democratic National Committee’s college outreach arm, the College Democrats of America, has also voiced solidarity with the pro-Palestinian protestors and slammed the White House over how it has dealt with the conflict.

President Biden criticized aspects of some recent pro-Palestinian protests including property damage in prepared remarks at the White House Thursday.

  • catloaf
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    4 months ago

    Sort of. Ambassadors do have some autonomy, but generally they’re representatives of their country, and take the positions they’re told to, especially on major issues like this.

    On the other hand, she does have the option to refuse to represent the US in this matter, so she’s at least complicit.

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      4 months ago

      Yea - I’m not saying she decided the policy position… but she did actually enact those actions and the US has been extremely activist in the UN.