Arya Novinbakht
Overview
As of November 2019, Novinbakht’s LinkedIn page said he received his master’s degree in Anthropology from UofSC in 2018 and his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Anthropology from UofSC in 2014.
Novinbakht’s LinkedIn page also indicated he was a University Instructor at UofSC, from August 2016 through May 2018.
Opposing a State Bill Addressing Anti Semitism
On February 22, 2017, a letter Novinbakht wrote opposing the legislation was read [00:41:57] by UofSC SJP activist Theodore Santos, during UofSC SJP’s event titled: “Stop anti-Palestine Legislation at SC state house!” The event was held at the South Carolina legislature’s House Judiciary Special Laws Subcommittee hearing.
The bill was contested and did not pass in 2017, but was later placed in the 2018-2019 budget and currently applies on college campuses.
On April 19, 2018, UofSC SJP President Dana Al-Hasan quoted Novinbakht in a tweet: “This legislation aims to silence any voices critical of Israeli policy or supportive of Palestinian rights. It is part of a troubling rightwing effort across the country to usurp civil rights, civil liberties, and our right to advocate for justice in Palestine."
On May 16, 2018,Al Jazeera also quoted Novinbakht as criticizing UofSC for “supporting this ‘biased’ law,” referring to SC H. 3643.
A July 10, 2018 article by Palestine Legal featured the same quote by Novinbakht, as tweeted by Al-Hasan.
Palestine Legal wrote that Novinbakht said: “Senator Larry Grooms' insertion of this unconstitutional bill as a rider on the 2018-2019 budget is a deceitful effort to silence the First Amendment rights of those who protest the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”
UofSC SJP - Defending Terrorists
On August 13, 2018, UofSC SJP shared an article to Facebook that defended several“Knife Intifada” terrorists, including Ahmed Manasra and Nurhan Awad.In October 2015, there was an upsurge in violence across Israel incited by Palestinian political and religious leaders. The wave of stabbings, known as the “Knife Intifada,” was characterized by young Palestinians throughout the country stabbing and attempting to stab Israeli civilians.
Ahmed Manasra (sometimes spelled Mansara) and his 15-year-old cousin Hassan went on a stabbing spree in Jerusalem on October 12, 2015, during the Knife Intifada. They critically wounded a 13-year-old boy and moderately wounded a 25-year-old man. The spree ended when police shot Hassan and a passing motorist hit Ahmed. Ahmed was taken to an Israeli hospital. He admitted to investigators: “I went there to stab Jews.” He was later tried and convicted on two counts of attempted murder.
In December 2015, 16-year-old Lama al-Bakri drew a knife and attempted to stab a pedestrian in the Jewish neighborhood of Kiryat Arba before she was shot. Bakri was then detained for 3 years.
UofSC SJP- Glorifying Violent Protesters
On May 14, 2018, UofSC SJP posted to Facebook: “Just today, the number of Palestinian martyrs doubled since the beginning of the #GreatReturnMarch as Israel opened live fire” and added: “demand the US and Israel put an end to this ruthless massacre.”On May 15th, 2018, UofSC SJP launched a photo campaign of UofSC SJP activists and members holding up signs in defense of the March of Return.
That day, UofSC SJP tweeted: “peaceful Palestinian protestors at the #GreatReturnMarch demanding basic rights are being massacred by Israeli snipers. Israel opened live ammunition murdering over 50 Palestinians yesterday.”
UofSC SJP - Promoting Supporters of Terror
On April 22, 2018, UofSC SJP co-hosted Joe Catron and Islam Marqa of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). The event’s Facebook page noted that ISM volunteers acted as human shields, writing: “They stayed with resistance fighters trapped under siege in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem.”The International Solidarity Movement (ISM), founded in 2001, is a movement allegedly “committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.”
However, the group has been accused of supporting terrorism and has encouraged its foreign volunteers to act “as human shields in cities, towns and refugee camps.” ISM has also encouraged activists to break curfew and disregard Israeli directives prohibiting access to closed military zones.
That policy resulted in the death of Rachel Corrie, who was accidentally killed while interfering with an Israeli military operation in 2003. A wrongful death suit brought by Corrie’s family was dismissed, because the judge ruled that Corrie unreasonably chose to put her own life in danger.
The HLF5 were five individuals associated with the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) indicted for funnelling funds to Hamas in the guise of humanitarian aid.
The men were were all convicted and sentenced in 2009 to federal prison terms ranging from 15 to 65 years.
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
- Status:
- Unknown
- University:
- UofSC University of South Caroli
- Organizations:
- SJP
- Related Profiles:
- Last Modified:
- 05/04/2026
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