Emory University students criticize Biden, refrain from direct condemnation on October 7.

On Monday, despite the controversy surrounding the police response to Emory's anti-Israel encampment, the atmosphere on the university's Atlanta campus was calm. However, students' passions remained high as they continued to protest against Israel and called for the resignation of the college president.

Several students who attended Monday's gathering shared their perspectives on anti-Zionism being antisemitic, the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, and their support for President Biden in November. However, many others declined interview requests and declined to elaborate on their views.

The Anti-Defamation League considers anti-Zionism to be antisemitic because it employs anti-Jewish tropes, while anti-Israel voices argue that conflating anti-Zionism and antisemitism is incorrect.

"Ibrahim, a junior at Emory, stated that Zionism has evolved into a highly violent movement."

Zionism, according to Emmitt, the Emory senior, is the source of antisemitism.

He stated that the movement wants the genocide to cease, but does not support any violence against Jewish individuals.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has sparked campus unrest nationwide, as a result of the Oct. 7 attack on the Jewish state, during which Hamas terrorists killed nearly 1,200 people, committed sexual assaults and took hundreds of hostages.

Students at the protest who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital tended to equivocate rather than outright condemn the Oct. 7 attack.

"Ibrahim stated that any attack on civilians is horrendous and sad, but he believes that the issue of October 7 has been brought up repeatedly. However, he questioned, "What about October 8? What about October 9? What about October 6? What about every single day since 1948 where Palestinians have been continuously killed and oppressed? Israel got attacked on that day, and obviously that's very sad for the civilians involved, but where's the outcry for the Palestinian civilians who have been attacked every single day?""

""When this happens to White people, it's an international crisis and there's international outrage, but it's been happening to Palestinians every single day for 75 years, and the double standard is very clear," he said."

"Emmitt stated that the situation did not begin on October 7, and he respects the fact that if violence occurred, he apologizes for it. However, he emphasized that the conflict started before 1948 and that the Palestinian people have been subjected to a genocide for a long time. He added that it is not his place to comment on how people respond to a genocide or an occupation, and he does not feel entitled to do so."

Another student who attended nearby Morehouse College, Devionne Burnett, who was on Emory's campus Monday, stated that he wouldn't answer the question about Oct. 7 because he didn't have a strong point to make.

Burnett admitted that he couldn't answer what he would do if he were in Israel's shoes and faced its border situation, as he hadn't thought about it deeply.

Although he couldn't say whether it would sway his vote, he disapproved of Biden's handling of Israel's war on Hamas.

Emmitt stated that he, along with several anti-Israel voices, were indifferent towards both former President Trump and Biden.

"He stated that the two-party system is no longer relevant to his generation. He believes it is a flawed and corrupt system, and he has nothing positive to say about any of the candidates running. If he votes, he will do so for a third-party candidate, even though it may feel like a waste."

Ibrahim stated that he dislikes both major parties because they are not making a genuine effort to achieve a cease-fire in the war. He intends to support Claudia de la Cruz, the Socialism and Liberation party nominee, in the presidential election because of her stance on the war.

An Emory junior of Jewish descent, who requested anonymity, asserted that Israel's reaction to the Hamas attack was exacerbating the situation.

"The U.S. and Israel have contributed to the escalation of terrorism in the Middle East by indiscriminately bombing civilian populations, which enrages people and leads to more terrorism," she stated. "In my opinion, the solution to the problem lies in a combination of social and political measures, rather than military action. When Israel claims to be defending itself, it is inadvertently creating more terrorists and increasing the sense of insecurity in the region."

Although she planned to vote Democrat in the fall, she stated that she wouldn't support Biden in November unless he altered his Israel policy.

Biden did not discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has become a political issue, during the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Despite his administration's continued support for Israel, he has criticized its military response and urged caution. As a result, the public's approval of the Gaza war remains low.

On Monday, pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel and anti-police chants were led by student protesters at a rally, with some progressive students at an elite college also objecting to "Cop City," a $109 million Atlanta law enforcement training center that has sparked outrage among the local far left. At one point, the crowd chanted, "No justice, no peace, f--- the racist-a-- police."

The administration received a letter from 104 student workers demanding the resignation of Emory President Gregory Fenves, stating that they would either not show up to their campus jobs or punch in and do nothing. Fenves later issued an apology, admitting that he initially believed the Emory encampments did not involve university students and that his focus was on ensuring the safety of the campus.

On Monday afternoon, Soju Hokari, an Emory junior, read out a letter to a university representative that referred to the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia State Patrol as "racist" after they were called in to deal with agitators. After speaking to another reporter, she declined to speak to Planet Chronicle Digital.

An Emory spokesperson directed Planet Chronicle Digital to the university website for updates on the campus situation when requested for comment.