Harvard submits 1,500 documents to House committee for anti-Semitism probe after Republican chairwoman claimed university was 'obstructing' investigation

Harvard University has handed over some 1,500 documents to the House Education Committee after the Ivy League was subpoenaed late last year for communications pertaining to acts of anti-Semitism on its campus in the wake of October 7.

The documents are part of a probe the committee - led by Rep. Virginia Foxx, who says the school has not been cooperative - is running into broader claims of anti-Semitism on the Cambridge campus.

A spokesperson for the prestigious institution said of the ongoing probe: 'Harvard denounced antisemitism on our campus and have made clear that the university will continue to take actions to combat antisemitism in any form.'

'This includes ongoing efforts to engage with and learn from students, faculty and staff to identify the causes of antisemitic behaviors and address them when they occur on our campus.

'Harvard is focused on safety and ensuring a sense of belonging for our Jewish students - so that every member of our community is protected, embraced and valued, and can thrive at Harvard.'

Harvard forked over 1,500 documents to the House Committee on Education, run by Rep. Virginia Foxx (pictured) - the committee is probing the presence of and response to anti-Semitism on the Ivy League campus

In addition to the Congressional probe, the university is being investigated by the FBI and Department of Education

In the wake of the barbaric Hamas attacks against Israel that took place on October 7, the university made few if any statements that touched specifically and exclusively on the safety of Jewish students on campus, despite a spate of deeply anti-Semitic incidents.

At the outset of the congressional probe, Rep. Foxx said: 'College administrators have largely stood by, allowing horrific rhetoric to fester and grow.

'College and university presidents have a responsibility to foster and uphold a safe learning environment for their students and staff. Now is not a time for indecision or milquetoast statements.' 

The turmoil on campus and the administration's failure to adequately deal with it led, in large part, to the ousting of recently appointed university head Claudine Gay.

Alan Garber has stepped into the role on an interim basis, but still, the school is struggling to come up with solutions for its anti-Semitism problem.

At present, the institution is having trouble keeping together its so-called anti-Semitism task force, from which two members have so far resigned due to personal frustrations.

In February, HBS Professor Raffaella Sadun resigned her post due to an overwhelming concern that the school would not commit to implementing the recommendations of the task force.

Sadun was tapped by Garber in January to lead the group as a co-chair. Her position will be replaced by law professor Jared Ellias.

The turmoil on campus and the administration's failure to adequately deal with it led, in large part, to the ousting of recently appointed university head Claudine Gay, who served just about six months in office before resigning

Students who blame Israel for the October 7 terror attack orchestrated by radical Palestinian terrorists have made their presence known on Harvard's campus, as well as campuses across the country

Demonstrators are seen at Harvard on October 14 - barely one week after the attack. Gay was criticized for being slow to condemn student justification of the Hamas terror attacks in Israel

The task force, however, may have been dead on arrival due to the appointment of Derek Penslar as its head.

Penslar was one of thousands of academics and other intellectuals who signed an open letter in August - before the radical Palestinian terror attacks - that accused the Israeli government of aiming to 'ethnically cleanse all territories under Israeli rule of their Palestinian population.'

The letter further stated the frequently employed refrain that Palestinians 'live under a regime of apartheid.'

At the time of his appointment, former Harvard President Larry Summers said he had 'lost confidence in the ability of Harvard leadership to maintain it as a place where Jews and Israelis can flourish.'

Late last year, Rabbi David Wolpe publicly resigned from Harvard's anti-Semitism board. He suggested their effort may be in vain as the school is, in his opinion, permeated and overwhelmed by 'evil' ideology. 

In addition to the congressional probe, Harvard is facing an investigation by the FBI about an alleged instance of antisemitism that was carried out against a first-year Israeli MBA student on October 18.

The FBI received a complaint that the student had his phone torn from his hands and was physically and verbally assaulted.

Protesters encircled the Israeli MBA student (with arms up), as they moved through the yard, holding up keffiyehs (scarfs) before he managed to slip into a nearby building

Footage of the student being harassed during the protest was widely circulated and several of the students who physically blocked the student while repeatedly shouting 'shame' at him have since been identified.

It is not clear that any disciplinary action has been or will be taken against them. 

If that wasn't enough, Boston's Office of Civil Rights, which exists within the Department of Education, is also looking into whether Harvard 'failed to respond to alleged harassment of students based on their national origin (shared Jewish ancestry and/or Israeli) in a manner consistent with the requirements of Title VI.'