Amal Thabateh
Overview
Amal Thabateh has expressed support for terrorists, spread incitement and promoted hatred of Israel. Thabateh has provided legal aid to anti-Israel activists and is a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.As of January 2024, Thabateh’s LinkedIn profile said she had been a “Fellow” with the City University of New York Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CUNY CLEAR) legal clinic since October 2023.
As of the same date, Thabateh’s LinkedIn said she had worked as the Michael Ratner Justice Fellow at Palestine Legal, formerly known as Palestine Solidarity Legal Support (PSLS), from September 2021 to September 2023.
As of January 2024, Thabateh’s LinkedIn said she had worked as a legal intern for Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P) from June to August 2020.
Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P) is an NGO based in Ramallah whose stated goal is to promote children’s rights. DCI-P senior leadership includes [pp. 40-42] members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group. In 2018, Citibank and Arab Bank withdrew their services from DCI-P due to its close ties to the PFLP. In 2021, Israel officially designated DCI-P as a terror organization.
As of January 2024, Thabateh’s LinkedIn said she was a legal intern for the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) chapter in New York (CAIR-NY) from May to August 2019.
As of January 2024, Thabateh’s LinkedIn said she received a JD from the City University of New York School of Law (CUNY Law) in 2021 and was affiliated with both the CUNY Law’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter (CUNY Law SJP) and the Muslim Law Students Association (CUNY MLSA). Thabateh has advocated [00:37:40] for more SJP chapters in U.S. law schools and college campuses.
Thabateh’s LinkedIn said she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the State University of New York College at Geneseo (SUNY Geneseo) in 2017, where she was a member of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) (SUNY Geneseo MSA).
As of January 2024, Thabateh’s LinkedIn said was located in New York, New York.
As of the same date, Thabateh went by the username “أمل [Amal]” and used the handle “@amoolyyyy” on Twitter.
Support for Terrorists
On March 14, 2023, Thabateh was featured [00:00:03] in a Palestine Pod podcastco-hosted by anti-Israel activist Michael Schirtzer in which she said [00:33:26]: “...armed resistance on the ground…is going to free Palestine.”Anti-Israel activists use the term “resistance” to refer to violence and terror perpetrated against Israeli civilians and their allies. It is used to glorify anti-Israel and anti-Semitic violence. Anti-Israel activists chant slogans such as: “Resistance by any means necessary!” and “Resistance is justified when people are occupied!” in response to terror attacks.
In October 2021, six prisoners affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)'s armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, chose to prolong their hunger strike in protest of their administrative detention by Israel. The six men were Kayed al-Fasfus, Miqdad al-Qawasmeh, Alaa Aaraj, Hisham Abu Hawwash, Shadi Abu-Akr and Ayyad Hureimi.
Thabateh retweeted a May 20, 2021 tweet that said: “Once it's official that Israel is halting its aggression, let's make sure that we attribute this victory to Palestinian resistance, especially in Gaza. The only language that Israel understands is resistance, everything else is secondary.”
In May 2021, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists fired over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at major population centers in Israel. Israel responded by launching “Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW),” carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.
Thabateh retweeted a May 11, 2021 tweet that said: “If you choose this time to discuss Hamas rockets & Gaza resistance, then you're not on the side of the oppressed. You are on the side of the oppressor since you're invoking their rhetoric of blaming Palis for their reaction to 70+ years of Israeli colonialism & genocide.”
Spreading Incitement
Thabateh retweeted a May 10, 2021 tweet that said: “The Al Aqsa mosque is not only a safe space for Palestinians to gather & share in spirituality, but it's also one of the holiest places in Islam. This is literally like attacking the Vatican. Or the burning of the Notre Dame. Remember the mobilization then? Please do the same now.”The allegation that Jews “threaten” to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been a pretext for Arab attacks on Jews long before the existence of the modern Jewish state. Such propaganda has led to multiple periods of violence against Israeli civilians.
Thabateh’s retweet came after three days of violent clashes between worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Israeli police following claims that the mosque was in danger.
Thabateh retweeted a May 16, 2021 tweet that said: “#FreePalestine #AqsaUnderAttack #GazzaUnderAttack.”
Incitement surrounding Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah were leading factors in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists firing over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at Israeli population centers from May 10 to 21, 2021. In response to rocket attacks from Gaza, Israel launched “Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW),” striking military targets in the terrorist-controlled enclave.
Thabateh retweeted a May 21, 2021 tweet that said: “i literally cannot believe y’all are slowing momentum now. were you not here 11 days ago? this did not begin with hamas rockets, it began with israeli assaults on sheikh jarrah and al aqsa — both of which are still happening. this ceasefire is nowhere near the end of the story.”
In May 2021, Palestinian violence erupted in anticipation of an Israel High Court ruling on eviction proceedings concerning over 70 Palestinian tenants illegally residing in Jewish-owned properties in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Hatred of Israel
Thabateh retweeted a December 16, 2022 tweet that said: “don’t care what any zionist has to say about antisemitism until palestine is free.”On June 27, 2022, Thabateh tweeted: “Sometime self care looks like quietly blocking old high school friends on Instagram after posting their trips to Israel."
Thabateh retweeted a December 20, 2021 tweet that said: “The Palestinian right of return is not an afterthought or a debatable concept, it is a core issue of the movement and an indisputable right. All Palestinians have a right to return to their original homes across historic Palestine.”
The “right of return” is a Palestinian demand discredited as a means to eliminate Israel. International law mandates no absolute right of return and UN Resolution 194, which defined principles for “refugees wishing to return to their homes,” was unanimously rejected by Arab nations following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Thabateh retweeted a May 24, 2021 tweet by anti-Israel activist Mohammed El-Kurd that said: “If you are advocating for Palestinian rights then your advocacy must include our right to resist colonial violence.”
Thabateh retweeted a May 18, 2021 tweet that said: “if you support palestine, you can’t push for a two state solution or coexistence. it’s free palestine and that’s it.”
On May 15, 2021, Thabateh tweeted: “End U.S. aid to Israel”
On May 10, 2021, Thabateh tweeted: “‘Crashes’?!? This Zionist ran over Palestinian protesters!!!...” Her tweet was linked to a May 10, 2021 news report from Reuters that said: “Palestinans stone Israeli car, which crashes, as Jerusalem seethes…”
On May 10, 2021, Palestinian rioters threw stones at an Israeli vehicle near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, injuring the driver who then lost control of his car and swerved off the road, hitting several pedestrians. The rioters attempted to attack the driver, before a police officer arrived at the scene and fired warning shots to disperse the mob.
Thabateh retweeted a May 7, 2021 tweet that said: “end of israel in our lifetime iA” [“Inshallah / “God willing”].
Aid to Anti-Israel Activists
On March 31, 2023, Thabateh and Palestine Legal reportedly defended anti-Israel activist Huwaida Arraf against allegations that she engaged in “anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric” following her participation in a diversity assembly at the Bloomfield Hills High School in Detroit, Michigan.Huwaida Arraf has allied with terrorists, provoked violence with Israel, expressed support for violence and served as a terrorist’s defense lawyer. Arraf has also equated Israel with Nazi Germany, glorified terrorists, defended the Hamas terror group, and expressed support for members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
On May 15, 2023, Palestine Legal reported that Thabateh, on its behalf, provided support for SJP and Within Our Lifetime (WOL) leader Nerdeen Kiswani, whose scheduled speech at a “Nakba” commemoration event at New York’s Hunter College was canceled.
On May 18, 2023, Palestine Legal quoted Thabateh on Instagram who said: “This is outright racist and unlawful…The administration cannot bar Palestinians from attending and speaking at a public university simply because Zionists complain.”
Kiswani has called for the death of Zionists and for Israel’s destruction. She has also spread incitement to violence, glorified intifada, honored leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group and expressed support for other terrorists in her WOL activism.
On May 12, 2023, Fatima Mousa Mohammed delivered a commencement speech at the CUNY Law graduation ceremony that was denounced as “hate speech” by the CUNY Board of Trustees.
On June 30, 2023, Thabateh was quoted in an article defending Fatima’s speech as “pretty standard.”
On July 3, 2023, Thabateh featured [00:03:24] in a video released on Instagram by Palestine Legal, CUNY for Palestine, and WOL titled: “#WeStandWithFatima.”
Anti-Israel Activism (MSA, BDS, SJP, DCI-P, CODEPINK)
In March 2023, Thabateh was a speaker [p.20] at the annual National Muslim Law Students Association (NMLSA) Conference held March 17- 19 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Thabateh led a session with WOL founder Nerdeen Kiswani titled: “Leaving Footprints: Movement Lawyering.”On March 14, 2023, Thabateh was featured [00:00:03] in a podcast during which she celebrated [00:29:49] an April 29, 2022 anti-Israel editorial published by the Harvard Crimson endorsing BDS.
On February 7, 2023, Thabateh led a “Know Your Rights” workshop hosted by the Wayne State University Students for Justice in Palestine and Wayne Student Senate, in collaboration with Palestine Legal titled: “College activism on Palestine.”
On February 15, 2022, Thabateh was featured [00:17:42] in a CODEPINK podcast during which she opposed [00:23:22] the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.
Thabateh retweeted an October 30, 2021 DCI-P tweet that read: “Rep. Betty McCollum introduced a resolution condemning the Israeli government's criminalization of Palestinian civil society organizations. We're grateful to have Rep. McCollum's continued, steadfast support for Palestinian human rights. #StandWithThe6…”
BDS
The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement was founded by Omar Barghouti in 2005 to challenge “international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism.” BDS is an allegedly “Palestinian-led movement,” although leading BDS activists have admitted [00:01:01] this is not true.
One of the demands of BDS includes [point 3] what is generally known as the “right of return,” a demand discredited as a way to eliminate Israel. Barghouti said the “right of return” is a means to “end Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.”
Barghouti has said that BDS “aims to turn Israel into a pariah state, as South Africa once was.”
In his activism, Barghouti has also said [00:05:55] regarding Israel: “Definitely, most definitely, we oppose a Jewish state in any part of Palestine. No…rational Palestinian, not a sellout Palestinian, will ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine.”
The movement has been linked to numerous terrorist organizations and received a public endorsement from Hamas in 2017.
BDS initiatives include calling on institutions and individuals to divest from Israeli-affiliated companies, promoting academic and cultural boycotts of Israel, and organizing anti-Israel rallies, protests and campaigns.
The movement’s most notable achievement has been the infiltration of university campuses through lobbying for “BDS resolutions.” In these cases, student governments and student groups, backed by their own anti-Israel members and affiliates, have proposed resolutions on some form of boycott of, or divestment from, Israel and Israeli-affiliated entities.
Boycott resolutions, although non-binding, have been passed by student governments on numerous North American campuses.
BDS activity is often aggressive and disruptive. It has been noted that universities that pass BDS resolutions see a marked increase in anti-Semitic incidents on campus. On one campus, when the student government debated a BDS resolution, reports emerged of violent threats against those opposing it.
MSA
The MSA was established by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in January 1963 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with the goal of "spreading Islam as students in North America." A 2004 FBI investigation uncovered an internal Muslim Brotherhood document in which a brotherhood leader identified the MSA as "one of our organizations."
The MSA reportedly has “nearly 600 chapters” located in the United States and Canada, and is “the most visible and influential Islamic student organization in North America,” boasting conferences, special events, publications, websites and other activities.
The organization includes a number of previous chapter presidents with explicit links to terrorist groups. Included are al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki (Colorado State University), Somali al-Shabaab militant leader Omar Shafik Hammami (University of South Alabama) and Pakistani Taliban recruiter Ramy Zamzam of the MSA's Washington, D.C. council.
CAIR
CAIR describes itself as a “grassroots civil rights and advocacy group” and “America's largest Muslim civil liberties organization, with regional offices nationwide.” Its official mission is “enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.”
CAIR reportedly has “significant ties” to the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Hamas. A number of former CAIR employees have been convicted on fraud and terrorism-related charges that resulted monetary fines, jail terms and, sometimes, deportation.
CAIR was founded in 1994 and opened its first office in Washington, DC, with the help of a $5,000 donation from the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), a charity founded by Mousa Abu Marzook.
Marzook, who was listed as a "Specially Designated Terrorist" by the U.S. Treasury Department in 1995, is reportedly a senior member of Hamas.
In May 2007, CAIR was listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in a U.S.-filed action against the HLF for providing funds to Hamas.
CAIR was also listed as a terrorist entity by the United Arab Emirates, in 2014.
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amal.thabateh.16Twitter: https://twitter.com/amoolyyyy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amalthabateh/ [Private]
