Besan Zeidan

Overview

Besan Zeidan expressed support for terrorism, spread hatred of Zionists, Israel, America and the police. She promoted anti-Semitism as a leader of an anti-Israel disruption and engaged in anti-Israel activism.

Zeidan was an organizer of the pro-Hamas encampment at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn).

Zeidan’s activism took place during Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists. Israel launched the war, called called “Swords of Iron,” after a series of Hamas terror attacks and war crimes against Israeli civilians, including mass murder, torture, rape, beheadings and kidnappings. The atrocities were executed on October 7, 2023, and left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead, hundreds kidnapped and thousands wounded.

Zeidan was affiliated with anti-Israel campus group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Temple University (Temple SJP), as well as the Philly Palestine Coalition (PPC).

As of June 2024, Zeidan’s LinkedIn said she was studying for a bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation management at Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM), slated to graduate in May 2026. Temple is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 2023-2024, Zeidan served as the alumni and outreach coordinator for the Sport and Government Association (SAGA) at Temple.

As of June 2024, Zeidan’s LinkedIn said she was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Support for Terrorism

As of June 2024, Zeidan’s Twitter bio said: “Long live the resistance

.”

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 and encourage 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.

The watermelon has been appropriated by anti-Israel activists as a symbol of Palestinian "resistance" to "Israeli occupation," as it shares the Pan-Arab colors. It has been depicted in art, used on flags at protests and posted online.

Hatred of Zionists

On May 22, 2024, Zeidan participated in “The People’s University Graduation Ceremony,” an alternative graduation ceremony. Standing at the podium, Zeidan said [00:00:27]: “...we are here because many schools…refuse to divest and call the genocide for what it is. Students in this room have received academic discipline, undergone brutal arrests by the Penn police and been subjected to unwarranted suspensions…we should remember their courage and strength and recognize the ways in which it is tied to the fight in Gaza…”

At another point during the event, Zeidan stood beside Sameem Ahmadzai and led the crowd in cheers as he announced the student who won the award for “most likely to shot put a Zionist.”

On May 22, 2024, in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks against Israeli citizens, a group of anti-Israel activists held “The People’s University Graduation,” an alternative commencement ceremony for graduates of three Philadelphia-area colleges. At the event, one student got an award for being “most likely to shot put a Zionist,” which was met with cheers from the audience. Many student attendees had received [00:00:34] academic discipline, been arrested or been suspended for their anti-Israel activism during the 2023-2024 academic year, and some had been denied degrees. Alternative graduation ceremonies also took place at Columbia University and Harvard University.

Hatred of Israel, America and the Police

On February 17, 2024, Zeidan spoke [slides 3-4] at an anti-Israel rally in Philadelphia, where she spread hatred of Israel, America and the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD).

Referring to America, Zeidan said [slide 3; 00:00:03]: “...justice in a country that was built on supremacy will always be uncomfortable, and that’s why they’ve made it uncomfortable for you to speak out…They want it to be uncomfortable, because this country was built on supremacy.”

Zeidan continued [slide 4; 00:00:07]: “...the PPD and the KKK and the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] are all intertwined. The Philadelphia police coordinates with the IDF for military gear, tactics. And they all train together. They are no different [from each other]…All of these groups have one major thing in common. It’s white supremacy, prioritizing profit over human life.” Her speech was interspersed with shouts of “Shame!” from other rally participants.

The accusation that Israeli law enforcement teaches American police brutal tactics during police exchange programs is used to demonize Israel. Participants in these programs have stated [00:02:14] that the training in Israel focuses [00:13:36] on public policy, counterterrorism and leadership training in the form of lectures and discussions.

12/18/2023 - Promoting Anti-Semitism at a Disruption

On December 18, 2023, Zeidan led [00:00:01] chants and spread [00:00:29] anti-Semitism at an anti-Israel rally titled: “Shut It Down For Palestine.” The protest was organized by PPC and aimed at disrupting pre-Christmas activity in downtown Philadelphia.

At the rally, Zeidan marched with a megaphone, as she led [00:00:01] the crowd in chanting: “Free, Free Palestine!”

PPC wrote on Instagram about the rally: “...NO business as usual while a genocide is happening!…”

During the protest, Zeidan addressed [00:00:04] Christmas shoppers, shouting through a megaphone: “In case anybody in this ridiculous Christmas spirit didn’t know, we are here fighting the American-funded genocide in Gaza. The genocide that is funded by your tax dollars.”

Zeidan then said [00:00:29]: “Do you know what? Jews can take all your Christmas presents!”

After Zeidan’s remarks, anti-Israel activists chanted [00:00:45]: “While you’re shopping, bombs are dropping!”

On Saturday, October 7, 2023, approximately 2,900 heavily armed Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s border with Gaza. They executed numerous war crimes on civilians, including mass murder, beheadings of children, rape of men and women, torture, kidnappings and mutilation.

Hamas broadcast videos of their butchery on social media, often to victims’ accounts for families to see. Israel retaliated with a war called “Swords of Iron.” As of November 10, 2023, approximately 1,200 Israelis, the vast majority of them civilians, were murdered during the attacks. Hamas kidnapped 242 Israelis, including at least 30 children. At least 3,500 people were wounded, many severely.

A terrorist detained by Israel admitted he raped an Israeli woman when he broke into a kibbutz house during the October 7, 2023 attack. In March 2024, a former hostage of Hamas publicly stated she was sexually abused and tortured while in captivity.

For more information on the October 7, 2023 terror attacks, see the Canary Mission page on Hamas.

Organizer of Pro-Hamas Encampment at Penn

On April 30, 2024, Zeidan was featured [00:01:14] in a 6abc Philadelphia video at the pro-Hamas encampment at Penn, called the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”

In the video, Zeidan, who was identified as an organizer, said [00:01:14]: “We will not be moving until they disclose and divest and defend student voices, and that’s like our bottom line.”

On April 25, 2024, anti-Israel activists from Penn, Temple University and Drexel University set up the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on the Penn campus to protest Israel's war against Hamas.

The encampment was one of over 140 pro-Hamas and anti-Israel college encampments set up in North America, and over 20 more globally, in the spring of 2024. The first began on April 17, 2024, at Columbia University. The encampments were unofficially known as the “student intifada,” borrowing a term associated with terrorist violence.

Protesters harassed Jewish students, blocked Jews from campus facilities and shouted anti-Semitic slogans. They occupied campus grounds, in many cases illegally, caused property damage, violently took over buildings, celebrated terrorism and promoted the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Activists set up encampments to oppose Israel’s right to wage war against the Hamas terror group following October 7, 2023, when Hamas murdered approximately 1,200 people, including 32 American and 8 Canadian citizens. Hamas also kidnapped 252 people, including 11 Americans and the bodies of 2 murdered Canadians. As of May 26, 2024, 125 hostages remained in Hamas captivity.

For more information on the October 7, 2023 terror attacks, see the Canary Mission page on Hamas.

Anti-Israel Activismduring a Hamas War

Between October 2023 and March 2024, of Zeidan participated in at least ten anti-Israel rallies in the Philadelphia area.

On February 13, 2024, Zeidan stood on the main stage at a Philadelphia anti-Israel rally next to featured speakers Justin Roig and Samantha Rise. She participated in the chants [00:00:01]: “There is only one solution, intifada revolution!” and [00:00:14] “Intifada! Intifada! Long live the intifada!”

The term “intifada,” which translates from Arabic as “uprising” or “insurrection,” carries the connotation of violence. Palestinian intifadas waged against Israel have been marked since 1987 by hundreds of hijackings, shootings, stabbings, bombings and suicide missions.

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 Student 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.