Haiti declined Thursday to join neighboring Dominican Republic in reopening a key commercial border crossing, leaving some trade at a standstill and prolonging a diplomatic crisis over the construction of a canal on Haitian soil.

Dominican President Luis Abinader had closed all borders including the crossing at the northern Dominican city of Dajabon for nearly a month to protest the construction of the canal, which he says violates a treaty and will take water needed by Dominican farmers. Haiti says it has the right to build the canal and that it's urgently needed because of a drought.

Abinader's government partially reopened the borders on Wednesday including the one at Dajabon — home to a key market for commerce between the countries — but allowed only limited trade and kept a ban on Haitians entering the Dominican Republic for work, school, tourism or medical issues. He also kept a ban on issuing visas to Haitian citizens.

DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT OFFERS FINANCIAL AID TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY DEADLY FACTORY EXPLOSION

Haiti declined to follow suit at its gate in the nearby community of Ouanaminthe, and its government did not immediately state a reason. But Moïse Charles Pierre, a delegate for Haiti’s northeast region, told The Associated Press that the Dominican side needed to apologize and resume full border operations.

"Abinader needs to respect the Haitian people and apologize publicly," Pierre said.

Meanwhile, the two other border gates at Elias Pina and Independencia have opened on both sides.

The spat over the canal took center stage Thursday at an Organization of American States meeting in Washington, with sharp exchanges between Roberto Álvarez, foreign affairs minister for the Dominican Republic, and Léon Charles, Haiti’s permanent representative to the OAS.

"The construction of the canal is not going to stop," Charles said, adding that Haiti was still open to dialogue but not "under the threat of dictating a solution to the Haitian population."

In response, Álvarez unearthed centuries-old history by mentioning Haiti’s 22-year occupation of the Dominican Republic in the 1800s and said the Dominican Republic was not taking up arms over the canal dispute.

"We are not intimidating anyone. Our intention is to protect our border, our natural resources," he said, as he criticized Charles’s response as "a reckless position."

During the meeting, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro offered to send a technical team specialized in water resources and legal issues to examine the site and offered to facilitate a meeting between both sides.

The canal in Haiti aims to divert water from the Massacre River that runs along the border on the island of Hispaniola that both countries share. Haiti’s government has said farmers urgently need the water to quench a drought that has killed crops in the region.

Abinader has said that construction of the canal violates a 1929 treaty and would affect local farmers and nearby wetlands.

On Thursday, former Haitian prime minister and presidential candidate Claude Joseph issued a statement rejecting allegations by a Dominican ambassador that he had ordered work on the canal in order to provoke a crisis with the Dominican Republic.

However, Jospeh insisted that Haiti has the right to build the canal.

US CITIZENS URGED TO LEAVE HAITI AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS STATE DEPARTMENT FLAGS 'CURRENT SECURITY SITUATION'

Since Wednesday's partial reopening at Dajabon and other border cities, vendors on the Dominican side are limited to selling goods like food and medicine and are barred from selling construction items such as concrete and metal rods. Dominican officials maintain that sale of such items would aid construction of the nearby canal.

Pierre, the Haitian official, said that in addition to keeping the border closed, authorities are working on a plan that would allow Haitian vendors to recover their wares stuck in the Dajabon marketplace since the closure.

On Wednesday, a pre-dawn fire erupted at the marketplace in Dajabon, with 26 of 28 stalls destroyed belonging to Haitians, according to Dajabon Mayor Santiago Riverón. Authorities are investigating what caused the fire.

Meanwhile, Riverón said he met with Haiti’s consul in Dajabon and expected to meet later with the Haitian mayor of Ouanaminthe to talk about the fire and the border reopening.

A professor at the University of Virginia appears to be offering extra credit to students who attend a discussion about how to "stand in solidarity with Palestinians resisting occupation" Thursday night.

According to a screenshot obtained by Fox News Digital, Tessa Farmer, an associate professor of global studies and anthropology at UVA, sent a message to students on Oct. 12 to promote an event hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine, advertised as a "[teach-in] and demonstration about the current situation in Gaza, the events and history that led to this moment, and a discussion about how we can [stand] in solidarity with Palestinians resisting occupation."

In the message, Farmer told students they can receive extra credit by attending "an applicable event" that "relates to class conversations/themes" and then write a 250-word reflection that ties the event to a course reading.

The message has caught the attention of Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is "very concerned" and "looking into it," according to a spokesperson. 

DOZENS OF PRO-PALESTINIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT CHAPTERS CELEBRATE ATTACK ON ISRAEL: 'NOT UNPROVOKED'

The professor later sent a subsequent message to her students, which was forwarded to Fox News Digital by a UVA spokesperson, clarifying that the goal of her extra-credit policy "is for students to attend events around grounds that are applicable to the global studies course topics, recognizing that important issues will have a diversity of perspectives."

"By posting the information provided by the organizers about the event that is happening today, I did not intend to imply that there is a link between endorsing the viewpoint of the organization and receiving extra credit for the course. In attending any event, I encourage you to critically engage with the content presented and to form your own opinion," she wrote.

"In the reflection on any event, the request is that you critically engage with the content of the event using the tools that the class offers," she added.

Many student groups at higher education institutions across the country have come under sharp criticism after the deadly attack carried out by Hamas terrorists in Israel on Oct. 7 – the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust.

UVA’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter said the attack against Israel represents a "step towards a free Palestine."

The chapter also said it mourns the loss of human life taken in the war and hopes for "long-lasting peace" that it says cannot be achieved without the establishment of equity and justice.

On Thursday, Miyares sent a letter to all Virginia university and college presidents with "deep concern for the rhetoric of some student groups that are sympathetic to Saturday’s terrorist attacks in Israel."

"Groups like ‘Students for Justice in Palestine’ have publicly stated that they plan ‘Day of Resistance"demonstrations this week. This pro-Hamas group is using language that suggests advocacy or threats of violence, such as calling for physical confrontations or ‘dismantling’ Zionism on campus,'" the letter states.

HARVARD STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS CLAIM ISRAEL ‘ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE’ FOR GAZA ATTACKS

"The right to freedom of speech does not include violent acts against persons or property. Individuals who commit crimes as part of demonstrations are subject to arrest and prosecution. Similarly, students remain, of course, subject to student codes of conduct," the AG said.

Miyares said his office has been contacted by students, parents and other student groups that "are rightfully concerned about these planned demonstrations."

Miyares urged the school administrations to "provide additional security to promote the safety of all students," adding that "enhanced security may also be necessary after the demonstrations to promote a safe campus environment."

HARVARD LAW STUDENT LINKED TO STATEMENT BLAMING ISRAEL DENOUNCES CONTENTS, SAYS SHE DIDN'T READ IT

In addition, Miyares encouraged the schools to "provide counseling resources to affected students and to make arrangements to assist students who have had family members impacted by the violence."

"Lastly, if you have not already done so, please develop a clear safety plan for students, staff, and faculty to promote public safety and ensure viewpoint diversity. Your Office of Attorney General University Counsel stands ready to assist in any of these efforts," Miyares said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Farmer for comment, but no response was returned by time of publication.

UVA President James E. Ryan issued a statement on Wednesday that said, ‘There can be no justification for, and we must condemn, the actions of Hamas and the horrific violence that has taken place against civilians, including children."