NY official demands resignation of college president who claimed 'complex history' after Hamas terror attack

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A New York politician is calling for the resignation of a university president who he accused of finding "moral equivalence between Hamas’ terrorist slaughter of innocent women and children with the contested political agenda of the Palestinian people" in the wake of the October 7 attacks. 

In a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital on Sunday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Hofstra University President Dr. Susan Poser’s statement last month regarding the Israel-Hamas war is "so misguided and antithetical to good moral values and judgment that it puts into question her ability to lead Nassau County’s largest private university." 

"I was shocked by the comments made by Dr. Poser concerning the barbaric and cowardly attack on innocent women and children by Hamas, a vicious terrorist organization," Blakeman, a Republican whose father and uncle both attended Hofstra after returning home from World War II, wrote. 

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Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman thanked New York volunteer firefighters who deployed to assist Israel fire departments short handed during the war against Hamas.  (Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman)

Blakeman, who has also taught Business Law at Hofstra and said many of his friends and colleagues are distinguished alumni, went on to say Poser’s "callous and unconscionable statement is completely out of step with the vast majority of Nassau County residents. With no allies for her in business, labor or government, Hofstra would be wise to part ways with Dr. Poser." 

Blakeman’s letter, addressed to the Hofstra University Board of Trustees, came in response to Poser’s October 18 message to the Hofstra Community following the school's fall break. The university president wrote in her message that she wanted "to acknowledge the emails and comments that I and other administrators have received since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th." 

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder address a group of rabbis during a security briefing update given the current situation in Israel on Oct. 12, 2023 in Garden City, New York.  (Howard Schnapp/Newsday via Getty Images)

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"That event, Israel’s response, and the ongoing conflict are taking the lives of thousands of people, with no end in sight. We mourn the loss of life in Israel and Gaza, which is deeply affecting many members of our community," Poser said. "There is a complex history and conflicting views about the causal underpinnings of the current crisis. This is one of the reasons that lasting peace in that part of the world has been so elusive and contested. But what is not contested is the tragic loss of life of innocent Israelis, Palestinians, and many others." 

Exterior of Hofstra's Science and Innovation Center on Oct. 5, 2023 in Hempstead, New York. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is demanding the resignation of Hofstra University President Dr. Susan Poser.  (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

"This was not a time for fence sitting and handwringing," Blakeman said in his letter. "Dr. Poser should have been clear and strong in her condemnation of Hamas without equivocation." 

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Poser's message did say the university would hold a "Vigil for Peace" that evening and said, "Hofstra will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on religion or national origin." 

"We continue to work with local and federal law enforcement to monitor risk and ensure that our campus is safe," she added.