Ahmad Awad

Overview

Ahmad Awad spent over a year attempting to establish Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Fordham University (Fordham).

In January 2017, Fordham decided to not allow SJP at the university, stating: "Fordham has no registered student clubs the sole focus of which is the political agenda of one nation, against another nation...The narrowness of Students for Justice in Palestine’s political focus makes it more akin to a lobbying group than a student club."

Awad is a 2017 graduating senior at Fordham, majoring in History.

Defying the Fordham SJP Ban

In January of 2017, Fordham decided to not give SJP official club status at the university, stating: "Fordham has no registered student clubs the sole focus of which is the political agenda of one nation, against another nation…The narrowness of Students for Justice in Palestine’s political focus makes it more akin to a lobbying group than a student club."

Following the decision, numerous anti-Israel organizations, as well as over 70 academics signed a petition in “Solidarity with Fordham SJP.”

Signatories included Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), often criticized for serving as a tokenized Jewish voice for the pro-Palestinian camp and is widely regarded as the BDS movement’s "Jewish wing," as well as Al-Awda, which advocates for BDS and the dismantling of Israel as a Jewish state.

Professors who signed the petition included Steven Salaita, notorious for anti-Semitic tweets that prompted the University of Illinois (U of I) to withdraw an offer of employment.

On January 23, 2017, SJP activists organized a rally protesting Fordham’s decision to ban SJP from the school.

On February 1, 2017, Fordham Dean of Students Keith Eldredge issued a disciplinary charge against rally organizer Sapphira Lurie for violating the demonstration policy within the university code of conduct. According to the Fordham administration, Lurie did not receive proper authorization to host a protest, nor was she assigned space to occupy through the established university procedures. On the eve of the hearing, students and community members organized a rally on Lurie’s behalf.

Following Lurie’s refusal to participate in a closed-door meeting with Eldredge, her disciplinary hearing is still pending.

On April 26, 2017, The New York Post reported that Awad and fellow Fordham students are taking legal action against the university for banning their SJP chapter.

On June 3, 2017, Palestine Legal produced a short fundraising video, featuring Awad, to pay for the legal fees of the lawsuit. 

On June 5, 2017 Fordham University moved to dismiss the lawsuit on grounds that is a “straightforward educational decision” rather than Palestine Legal’s claim that it is “a First Amendment challenge” which is generally not extended to private institutions. 

Eldredge further clarified in his affidavit that following extensive research, he denied the SJP group status in order to “prevent polarization” on campus “and the resulting possible negative impacts on student safety and the general security.”   

SJP

SJP is a student organization engaged in anti-Israel activity on North American college and university campuses.

The first chapter of SJP was founded in 2001 at the University of California at Berkeley by Professor Hatem Bazian. Bazian has spread classic anti-Semitism, reportedly promoted religious anti-Semitism and defended the Hamas terror group. In 2004, Bazian called for “intifada” in America.

SJP organizes anti-Israel campaigns, including running annual Israel Apartheid Weeks, often in collaboration with Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Muslim Students Association (MSA) campus chapters.

SJP has been a major force in pushing the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement on campuses. Chapters have initiated dozens of BDS resolutions in student governments, which have been proposed on or around Jewish holidays, a time when many Jewish students are off-campus.

SJP activists have reportedly physically assaulted, intimidated and harassed Jewish students, disrupted pro-Israel campus events and demonized pro-Israel campus organizations.

Chapters have often endorsed and campaigned for numerous terrorists and whitewashed terrorism.

Social Media and Weblinks

Facebook:www.facebook.com/1614711452

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-awad-b47a71116/