SJP at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Driving Anti-Semitism
Activists from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have subjected Jewish students at the university to an unrelenting campaign of harassment and hate-filled protests for close to a decade.
Their inculcation of venom is so ubiquitous that it should come as no surprise that an SJP UIUC activist was recently charged with a felony hate crime for throwing a rock at Jewish students. The incident happened during an April 2022 SJP UIUC anti-Israel protest that included a planned stop at the university’s Hillel center.
Targeting Jews
SJP UIUC treasurer Lina Issa defended the decision to target Hillel, telling a local television station: “They obviously have a very direct connection to Israel, and that's why we’re targeting that area in specific.”
This mindset is a perfect example of modern day anti-Semitism.
Lina Issa's words are a clear and direct violation of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, which lists this as the first example of anti-Semitism:
"Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity."
SJP UIUC Creating a Toxic Atmosphere on Campus
The atmosphere on campus became so toxic that, in 2020, Jewish students filed a formal complaint against the university for allowing such a hostile environment on its campus. The complaint asserts that allowing this environment to persist is a violation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
SJP UIUC featured prominently in the complaint, which charged that the group’s members and supporters:
“publicly glorify members of U.S. government-designated terrorist organizations, harass UIUC Jewish and pro-Israel students with epithets like ‘Nazi’ and ‘white supremacist,’ advocate the expulsion of Zionists from campus, and have converted mandatory UIUC diversity training into anti-Israel indoctrination.
Jews Bullied by SJP at University of Illinois Chicago
A 2021 investigation by Canary Mission of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) revealed that the SJP chapter on this University of Illinois campus was responsible as well for the disturbing levels of anti-Semitism at UIC.
Canary Mission’s report focused on 32 of the worst SJP UIC activists and their campaign to attack and malign Chicago’s largest Jewish charity, bully Zionists on campus, and spread anti-Semitism, support for terror and hatred of Israel on social media.
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It is telling that of the three campuses that comprise the University of Illinois system – Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield – Springfield is the only campus with no SJP chapter. It is also the only campus at which there have been no incidents of anti-Semitism reported, according to the AMCHA Initiative, which tracks anti-Semitic activity on hundreds of college campuses.
This finding is in line with a recent report by AMCHA, “Campus Antisemitism & the Assault on Jewish Identity.” The study found that the presence of one or more (non-Jewish) anti-Zionist student groups on a campus was the strongest predictor of overall threats to Jewish identity. Specifically, the presence of an SJP (or similar group) on campus made it “5.4 times more likely there would be one or more incidents involving threats to Jewish identity.”
SJP UIUC Activities
The following are just a few of SJP UIUC’s most egregious activities:
Hate-Filled Protests
On March 9, 2022, SJP UIUC held an anti-Israel protest where a speaker declared that Zionism, the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, “is the root cause of the social issues we see today.” Another speaker declared, “Israel is a settler colony, not a country. Zionism is genocidal.” At the protest, activists chanted, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!” a call for the elimination of the State of Israel.
Support for Terrorists
Support for Intifada “from Champaign to Gaza”
During the protest, activists chanted, “From Champaign to Gaza, globalize the intifada!” They also chanted, “You can run, you can hide, we’ll still charge you with genocide!” Buthaina Hattab, president of SJP UIC at the time, celebrated the escape of six Palestinian prisoners, all of whom were being held for terrorism crimes. The crowd cheered in response.
Pushing a BDS Agenda on Campus
In February 2022, SJP UIUC launched a divestment campaign to get the UIUC student body to vote on an anti-Israel divestment measure via a referendum.
SJP UIUC Activists
Infamous Quotes from SJP UIUC Activists
Sophie Giakas Ayesh
“What’s the difference between a Z*onist, a wh*te supremacist, a neo nazi, and a racist? Absolutely nothing.”
Dunia Ghanimah
“THIS IS FOR ISRAEL YOU BIG FAT WHITE NASTY SMELLING B**CH WHY YOU TAKE PALESTINE OFF THE MOTHERF**KIN MAP WITH YO TRIFFLIN DIRTY WHITE RACIST A** YOU BIG OOMPA LOOMPA BODY A** B**CH IM COMING UP THERE AND IMMA BEAT THE F**K OUT OF YOU B**CH .”
“...You truly have to be deranged and crave Palestinian blood to be a Zionist.”
“All I want for Eid is for the Israeli regime to fall and burn .”
Sofia Sinnokrot
“Good morning, death to Israel.”
“block me if you think 9/11 was anything but strategic work of the U.S.”
Sireen Amra
“Idk how to interact with white ppl bc my co-worker just asked me what I'm dressing up as on Halloween and I jokingly said [PFLP Terrorist] Leila Khaled without thinking.”
Malaak Yehya
“you’re ugly & support isr*el?? damn double homicide.”
“the university went out of their way to send us a statement saying they’ll protect zionists. another day of the university opening upholding white supremacy.”
Sayed Ahmad Quraishi was charged under Illinois state law with committing a violent anti-Semitic hate crime in 2022, an offense punishable by sentences ranging from probation to five years in prison. Quraishi was affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) at the time of the incident.
Dunia Ghanimah has celebrated the death of Israelis, promoted incitement, expressed support for terrorists, spread hatred of Zionists and called for Israel’s destruction.
Sireen Amra has glorified violence, promoted incitement, expressed support for terrorists and spread hatred of Israel. Amra is a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Drake Francis Materre called for violence and spread anti-Semitism. He expressed support for terrorists with the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) in 2019 and 2021.
Buthaina Hattab led a pro-terror rally and an anti-Semitic protest that turned violent as the president of Students Justice for Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) in the 2021-2022 academic year. She has also spread incitement and hatred of the police.
Sofia Sinnokrot has spread hatred of Israel and America, co-authored a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) resolution and was Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) president at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) in 2020.
Ahlam Khatib has expressed support for terrorists, spread hatred of Israel, co-authored a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement resolution and was president of Students Justice for Palestine.
Maram Safi has expressed support for terrorists, spread hatred of Israel and served as the vice president “internal” for Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) for the 2021-2022 academic year. Safi was also an activist with SJP UIUC in 2019.
Creen Ahmad has expressed support for terrorists, spread hatred of Israel, co-sponsored a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement resolution and was treasurer of Students Justice for Palestine.
Malaak Yehya has expressed support for terrorists, spread hatred of Zionists, promoted hatred of Israel and was a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) activist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC).
Yousuf Ahmad participated in an anti-Semitic protest, promoted incitement and spread hatred of Israel as an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC).
Jamiel Abed has expressed support for intifada violence, promoted incitement and spread hatred of Israel. Abed co-sponsored a BDS resolution at UIUC in 2020.
Sophia Giakas Ayesh [Sophia Giakas] has spread hatred of Zionists, Israel and America. Ayesh was an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Amira Dadar has spread hatred of Israel and supported a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement resolution at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in March 2022.
Sarah El Zayyat has expressed support for terrorists and spread hatred of Zionists, Israel and America. El Zayyat was an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the UIUC University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Abigael Fogarty has spread hatred of Israel and the police, co-sponsored a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement resolution and was a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) executive board member at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Eman Zwawi participated in a protest in support of terrorists and served as “Vice President (External)” of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) in 2021.
Mona Alrazzaq has spread hatred of Israel and supported a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement resolution as an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the Univerity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) in 2022.
Ragda Amin has spread hatred of Israel as an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Amin is also a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Aaron Dille has expressed violent hatred of Zionists, participated in an anti-Semitic protest, showed support for terrorists, spread incitement and promoted hatred of Israel and America.
Kariem Hashem [Kariem Ahdi Hashem] has expressed support for terrorists and spread hatred Israel as an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (SJP UIUC) in 2021 and 2022.
This profile has been removed per Canary Mission's policy on deceased individuals.
Lila Abid Sharif spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, promoted incitement and expressed support for terrorists. She has also celebrated intifada, demonized Israel and is a supporter of BDS Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions.