Lecturer dodges on condemning terrorism in tense debate at UMass Amherst: ‘It’s not a yes or no question’

A lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst didn't directly answer whether she would condemn terrorism in a video captured by Fox News at a protest on campus earlier this month. 

"You're a professor. Will you condemn terrorism?" a pro-Israel student asked lecturer Rachel Weber, who was debating students at an Oct. 13 rally. "It’s a yes or no question."

"It's not a yes or no question," Weber who works in the university’s College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, according to its website.

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Anti-Israel protests have erupted on campuses around the country following Hamas’s brutal Oct 7. terrorist attack on civilians and Israel’s retaliatory air strikes on Gaza. Hamas’ attack — that included beheadings, kidnappings and murders — has claimed the lives of about 1,400 Israelis. About 4,385 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

A spokesperson for UMass Amherst confirmed Weber is a lecturer at the publicly funded university in Massachusetts.

"As a public university, under the First Amendment and our commitment to academic freedom and the free and open exchange of ideas, UMass Amherst stands by the rights of its students, staff and faculty to express their personal opinions," the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News.

Weber did not return requests for comment.

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"You’re putting this person in a position where if they say anything, you’re going to twist it and you’re going to wrap it around," said another anti-Israel demonstrator, joining the conversation.

"How could I twist that?" the pro-Israel student responded.

"Oh you’re doing it to me right now, shut the f**** up while I talk," the anti-Israel demonstrator said.

"Do you think the Hamas attack was terrorism to begin with?" another student asked Weber.

Weber laughed before responding.

"Something that’s in the Jewish Voice for Peace statement about this that really resonates with me is that reality all begins on when you start the clock," she said. "If you start the clock on Saturday, reality is going to look one way, if you start the clock you know in like weeks prior, it’s going to sound a different way."

"You’re trying to justify terrorism," the pro-Israel student says, interrupting her. 

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After the pro-Israel student said he condemns terrorism, Weber accused him of not condemning  "what the IDF has done to Palestinian people."

"The IDF does not target civilians," he responded.

Weber, who is Jewish, said she has to "constantly assure" people that she does not support Israel.

Weber is an "experienced social justice lawyer," who offers conflict resolution services including mediation, facilitation and "conflict coaching" according to her website.

Weber also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of making weapons deals with "some of the most antisemitic governments in the world" and countries that "execute people for being gay."

"Netanyahu has no moral ground whatsoever to hold Israel up as some safe beacon for queer people or a safe beacon for women because he is actually very deeply in weapons deals, other types of technology deals with really repressive, outwardly repressive governments around the world," she said.

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The pro-Israel student pointed out that Israel is more friendly to LGBT people. In response, Weber accused Israel of bombing queer Palestinians. 

"They are under the same bombs that other Palestinians are and so when you're bombing the Palestinians, you're bombing queer Palestinians," Weber said.

Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Gaza and punishable by up to 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. State Department.

In another exchange, a different student pointed out that terrorist attacks from Palestinian groups happened before Israel had security barriers with Gaza and the West Bank.

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"How does ending the occupation look, in your eyes, in a peaceful manner for both sides?" he asked.

"That’s a really hard question," Weber responded. "I don’t think it's something that is going to happen overnight."

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