内容摘要：Estimates say the body can last up to three weeks without food, but the length of time varies between individuals.

Estimates say the body can last up to three weeks without food, but the length of time varies between individuals.

The bill before the US Congress sets tax rates for universities based on their effective endowments per student – by dividing their total endowments by the number of full-time students at the institution.Earnings from investments made from endowments will be taxed, if the bill becomes law.

Have universities been taxed so far?Most colleges have not been taxed on their endowments for centuries.The Revenue Act of 1909 exempted educational institutions as nonprofits which operate for public interest “exclusively for religious, charitable, or educational purposes”. As a result, educational institutions did not pay taxes on their investment gains.

This changed during Trump’s first presidential term. In 2017, the US Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which introduced a 1.4 percent tax on colleges with per-student endowments of at least $500,000, and at least 500 students who paid tuition. Hence, the tax applies only to some of the wealthiest institutions in the country.This endowment tax generated approximately $380m in 2023, from 56 universities that met the taxation bar.

What do Republicans want to do now?

On May 22, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed, with a 215-214 vote, what Trump and the legislation’s authors have called theThis shift in tone from Western governments is welcome, albeit limited and long overdue. Rhetorical change must be followed by concrete action and a fundamental shift in policy – otherwise, it will remain hollow. The time for timid diplomacy has long passed. What is needed now is a coalition of conscience: nations bold enough to align their values with decisive action, and leaders prepared to trade comfort for courage. Justice will not arrive on its own; it must be delivered by those brave enough to lead.

Should they fail, they must understand that millions of children – the very ones asking, “Why are you silent?” – will continue to hold them accountable. Each day of delay in confronting Israel’s genocidal government brings further crimes against Palestinians: more lives lost in Gaza, more homes torched in the West Bank. This failure not only deepens Palestinian suffering but also does a grave disservice to the Israeli people, many of whom yearn for a new and just leadership.The path forward has been clearly laid out by Turkiye. At this stage, merely withdrawing support for Israel is no longer enough. What is required is a coordinated, conscience-led initiative by allied nations to transform the growing momentum for Palestinian recognition into a genuine two-state reality based on the 1967 borders. This must include building a political framework that refuses to tolerate permanent injustice under the guise of neutrality. The starting point for this effort should be the rescue of the children.

Let us act now – so that Palestinian children, like Anne Frank, do not have to die in silence to be remembered. Let them live – not to be sanctified, but to thrive.The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.