1. NEWS Omer Shem Tov, an Israeli abducted on October 7 and held hostage by Hamas for over 500 days, spoke at UCLA early this month about his experience, and it has erupted in controversy. UCLA’s student government slammed the decision to invite Omer to speak, saying that UCLA was engaging in “selective platforming,” that having Omer speak legitimizes and normalizes atrocities, and that it contributes to a campus climate that harms Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students. Now, Jay Sures, the powerful Hollywood agent and a member of the UC Board of Regents, the governing body that oversees the California university system, has responded in a letter that slams UCLA’s student government, accusing them of moral blindness, intellectual dishonesty, and a deliberate refusal to acknowledge the suffering of a 23-year-old hostage. This is Jay Sures’ letter, presented on UC Regents letterhead. (The next tweet in the thread will contain the UCLA student government’s statement and the UCLA administration’s statement.)