CEOs pledge not to hire Harvard students who signed letter blaming Israel for Hamas attacks

Several Harvard student groups signed an anti-Israel statement

At least a dozen CEOs and business executives have backed billionaire Bill Ackman’s call to blacklist Harvard students who issued a statement blaming Israel for Saturday’s horrific Hamas attacks on the country. Ackman had called on the Ivy League institute to release the names of all members of the Harvard student organisations that signed the pro-Palestine letter.

Bill Ackman is the American billionaire hedge fund manager and Harvard alum who brought wider attention to the anti-Israel statement signed by several Harvard student groups. In a post shared Tuesday on the microblogging platform X, he called on her alma mater to release the names of all signatories.

I have been asked by a number of CEOs if @harvard would release a list of the members of each of the Harvard organizations that have issued the letter assigning sole responsibility for Hamas’ heinous acts to Israel, so as to insure that none of us inadvertently hire any of their… https://t.co/7kzGOAGwp9

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— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) October 10, 2023

The statement at the centre of the row was written by the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and signed by 33 student organisations. It said that Israel is “entirely responsibly” for the violence that unfolded when Hamas militants stormed the country on Saturday, gunning down civilians in the streets and in their homes.

Ackman’s call to reveal the names of all signatories was backed by several others. Here is what other CEOs said in response to Ackman’s post.

Jonathan Neman, CEO of salad chain Sweetgreen, responded saying: “I would like to know so I know never to hire these people.”

Jake Wurzak, CEO of DoveHill Capital Management, wrote: “I second this.”

David Duel, CEO of EasyHealth, said “Same” in response to Ackman’s post.

Michael Broukhim, CEO of FabFitFun, also joined the chorus. “We are in as well,” he wrote.

The public backlash led to some Harvard student organisations backtracking from their earlier stance. Four of the 34 organisations that signed the letter have withdrawn their support, the New York Post reported. Students of several other organisations have also sought to distance themselves.