Idan Ofer: Israeli billionaire leaves Harvard board as backlash against university escalates
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS: Idan Ofer, an Israeli billionaire and founder of Eastern Pacific Shipping, and his wife, Batia Ofer, a prominent art collector and descendant of Holocaust survivors, have announced their resignation from the board of Harvard University's renowned Kennedy School of Business.
The reason for their departure is President Claudine Gay's response to a controversial letter signed by 31 Harvard organizations, which placed the blame on Israel for the recent series of Hamas attacks in Israel.
Why did the Ofers resign?
In an interview with the Hebrew-language outlet TheMarker, Batia Ofer expressed her disappointment with President Gay's response, stating that their actions were taken "in protest of the shocking and insensitive response by the president of the university, who did not condemn the letter by student organizations who blamed Israel for the massacres."
The Harvard administrators had issued a statement on Monday, October 9, credited to President Gay, which initially did not explicitly condemn the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"We write to you today heartbroken by the death and destruction unleashed by the attack by Hamas that targeted citizens in Israel this weekend, and by the war in Israel and Gaza now underway," the statement read. However, the lack of condemnation drew widespread criticism from many Harvard alumni and the broader community.
In response to the outcry, Gay issued a follow-up statement on Tuesday, clarifying her position by saying, "As the events of recent days continue to reverberate, let there be no doubt that I condemn the terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas. Such inhumanity is abhorrent, whatever one's individual views of the origins of longstanding conflicts in the region."
However, this clarification was not sufficient for the Ofers, who belong to one of the wealthiest families in Israel.
More about Idan Ofer
Idan Ofer is a majority shareholder in several of Israel's largest holding companies and co-owns the soccer powerhouse Atletico Madrid. According to Forbes, his estimated net worth was over $14 billion as of August 2023. He is also the principal of the Quantum Pacific Group, a holding company. Ofer is a major player, with interests spanning shipping, energy, mining, and other sectors.
Ofer holds a majority shareholder position in the Israel Corporation, which is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, and Kenon Holdings, listed on the Tel Aviv and New York Stock Exchange. Additionally, he is the owner of the Israeli holding company Lynav Holdings and the Dutch-based Ansonia Holdings.
Idan Ofer's involvement in sports is notable. He owns a 33% stake in Spain's La Liga association football club Atlético Madrid and an 85% stake in Portugal's Primeira Liga association football club FC Famalicão.
As of the time of reporting, Harvard University had not issued a comment on the Ofers' resignation from the board.
Harvard students' controversial letter
The controversy at Harvard stems from a 'Joint Statement by Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups on the Situation in Palestine,' which was released on Sunday by a coalition of student organizations, including some from the Kennedy School.
This statement condemned Israel for the ongoing violence, attributing responsibility for the conflict to the Israeli government and referencing the situation as an "apartheid regime."
"The apartheid regime is the only one to blame. Israeli violence has structured every aspect of Palestinian existence for 75 years," it read.
"From systematized land seizures to routine airstrikes, arbitrary detentions to military checkpoints, and enforced family separations to targeted killings, Palestinians have been forced to live in a state of death, both slow and sudden."
The joint statement argued that the attacks by Hamas did not happen in isolation and that the Israeli government had subjected Palestinians to an "open-air prison" for over two decades. It concluded by calling for an end to the "brutalization of Palestinians" and urged the Harvard community to take action against what it termed "colonial retaliation."
This incident follows a separate controversy at Harvard, where a professor was forced to apologize for implying that the Hamas attack on Israel was an attempt to distract from the political issues surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu.
Escalating situation in the Middle East
Meanwhile, the situation in the Middle East continues to escalate, with Israel's military making preparations for a possible ground invasion, and Hamas continuing to launch rockets into Israel. The death toll in Israel has risen to over 1,300, including at least 27 Americans, according to NBC News.
Additionally, scores of Israeli and foreign hostages have been taken to Gaza. Israel responded by placing Gaza under siege and initiated a bombing campaign that resulted in the destruction of entire neighborhoods. Gaza authorities reported more than 1,500 Palestinian casualties at the time of publication.