A Message from the President and Provost: Supporting our Community in the Face of Terrorist Attacks on Israel

UW Community:

Like many of you, we have been disgusted and outraged by the heinous attack perpetrated by Hamas on Israel last weekend. There’s no question that what happened there is an atrocity -- acts of terrorism, including the slaughter of innocent civilians and kidnappings that are cause for shock and condemnation. Israel’s military response in Gaza is a clear indication this conflict will not end any time soon.

We have learned over the last few days that there are a number of members of our UW community who are in or from the region or have friends and family in or near Israel and Gaza. And there are many clear signs and reports of stress and anguish directly on our campus as a result. We want to thank a number of you who have reached out directly about this. Our focus is on supporting you all during this time of incredible distress.

In making these comments, we are doing so from the standpoint of the recent statement about free expression, intellectual freedom and constructive dialogue at our university. We reiterate that UW operates from a position of neutrality and provides an open forum for the deliberation and debate of public issues. We will not normally or routinely make statements on problems around the nation or world. But this is an instance in which the actions of Hamas were so reprehensible, and the impact on our community so strong, that we feel compelled to do so now.

The atrocities committed by Hamas against Israel in the last week constitute human rights violations that contravene international legal norms. We also need to be aware that the situation is evolving and complex and many more groups and nationalities are likely to be affected. Many innocent lives will continue to be lost, which is something we should all mourn, regardless of the circumstances.

There will be many views on our campus as to what is happening and why, and what should happen next. We implore all of us to be respectful as these views are aired and debated. Our campus is a place for the respectful exchange of ideas and opinions, a place where we can learn from one another even when we disagree.

In the meantime, let’s come together to support and protect our community in the face of such terrible events elsewhere. For those who are directly impacted, here are some UW resources to help you:

The Employee Assistance Program offers UW employees and their families access to a variety of support services including counseling.

The University Counseling Center provides free counseling services to students.

UW’s Multicultural Resource Center is a place for community building, advocacy and intercultural awareness.

The loss of innocent life is always a tragedy. We know that very well here at UW, as yesterday we marked the 25th anniversary of the murder of one of our students, Matthew Shepard – a killing that has reverberated across our community, our state, our nation and internationally. As we grieve for the senseless loss of life in Israel and Gaza, our thoughts also are with Judy and Dennis Shepard and other family and friends of Matthew, whose life ended much too early in our community.

Sincerely,

Ed Seidel, President

Kevin Carman, Provost and Executive Vice President