Billionaire Ronald Lauder, a powerful financial backer of the University of Pennsylvania, is threatening to cut off donations if the school doesn’t do more to fight antisemitism, CNN has learned.

The threat from Lauder, one of the heirs to the Estee Lauder cosmetics company, marks the latest fallout from donors and alumni alarmed by a Palestinian literary festival that was held on campus last month prior to the Hamas terror attacks on Israel.

Even before the Palestine Writes Literature Festival started, UPenn leaders acknowledged it would include speakers with a history of making antisemitic remarks.

  • TurnItOff_OnAgain@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    who were “antisemitic and viscerally anti-Israel.”

    Anti-semetic or just not pro Isreal? The article doesn’t go into what was said. Seems like its impossible to be critical of Isreal without being labeled an anti-semite.

    • Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      This is my take.

      Right now, Jews around the globe are being threatened for just living their life. They may even support Palestinians.

      But bring that up, and suddenly it’s “Why do you support Israel?” Like bro chill the fuck out nobody said that.