Gabrielle Rubinstein

Overview

Gabrielle Rubinstein promoted two Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement initiatives as an activist with Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Swarthmore College (Swarthmore), in 2018 and 2019.

Rubinstein has also opposed the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act (AAA), a bipartisan bill drafted in response to growing anti-Semitism in the United States. She also condemned the Birthright Jewish heritage tour.

Rubinstein was affiliated with IfNotNow (INN) in 2018 and 2019.INN is an organization that has demonized Israel and seeks to drive a wedge between American Jewry and Israel.

As of January 2020, Rubinstein’s LinkedIn page said she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology at Swarthmore, slated to graduate in 2020.

In 2019, Rubinstein used the name “Gabi Rubinstein” on Facebook and Twitter.

Promoting BDS

On December 4, 2019, Rubinstein featured in a Swarthmore JVP tweet holding a sign that read: “Surveillance of Palestinians is exploitation, not innovation!” The tweet was part of a JVP “Drop Any Vision” campaign that called on Microsoft to drop its investment in the Israeli company AnyVision.

AnyVision is an Israeli facial recognition company headed by former members of Israeli military and intelligence personnel. The technology is reportedly used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to increase the speed with which Palestinians granted work permits can enter Israel, and to “spot and monitor potential Palestinian assailants” within the West Bank.

On December 4, 2019, Swarthmore JVP tweeted: “THREAD: @swarthmore students call on @Microsoft to #DropAnyVision, an Israeli tech group that secretly surveils Palestinians. Their shareholder meeting is today - tell CEO @satyanadella to stop the hypocrisy and drop AnyVision today! @jvplive” The tweet included a link to a JVP petition, titled: “Tell Microsoft: Drop AnyVision.”

On December 2, 2019, Rubinstein urged readers to sign the JVP petition on Twitter and wrote: “Why did Microsoft write ethical principles if it's not going to follow them? Stop financing Israel’s AnyVision and enabling the surveillance of Palestinians.”

Boycotting Sabra Hummus

In March 2018, Swarthmore SJP published a petition calling for an end to the sale of Sabra products on campus. Sabra Hummus is partially owned by an Israeli company, the Strauss Group.

The petition accused Sabra of supporting Israeli forces who allegedly commit “countless human rights violations,” including “arbitrary murders, assaults, incarcerations, evictions, and arrests of children.”

On April 4, 2018, Swarthmore SJP held a rally to express support for SJP members slated to meet with Swarthmore President Valerie Smith to push the Sabra boycott.

On April 11, 2018, Rubinstein reportedly participated in another Swarthmore SJP rallyheld at Swarthmore to promote the boycott, during which they held a moment of silence for protesters who died in the Great March of Return.

Approximately 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border on March 30, 2018 as part of the “March of Return,” which was organized and funded by Hamas as a campaign of violent protests to spotlight the demand of Palestinians to “return” to Israel. The “right of return” is a Palestinian demand discredited as a means to eliminate Israel

Rubinstein reportedly spoke at the April 11th rally where, together with fellow SJP activist Abby Saul, she “discussed the idea that Jewish liberation did not signify Palestinian oppression.”

On April 30, 2018, President Smith announced that Swarthmore would continue to sell Sabra products on campus and begin selling an alternative brand of hummus. In response, on May 2, 2018, Swarthmore SJP held a rally to protest Smith’s announcement.

That day, Rubinstein posted to Facebook: “I am” in response to SJP member Mohammed Bappe’s Facebook comment asking if students were: “angry by the college’s decision to not boycott Sabra products comment.”

Opposing Anti-Semitism Awareness Act

On April 3, 2019, Rubinstein signed a JVP-authored petition that opposed the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act (AAA) of 2019.

The AAA was introduced to the US Senate in March 2019 and directed the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to use the U.S. State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism when evaluating hostile environment complaints.

In the petition, JVP referred to the bill “the Silencing Students Act” and urged the U.S. Senate to reject the bill and “instead to take meaningful action to combat anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, and other forms of bigotry."

Condemning Jewish Heritage Tour

On October 28, 2019, Rubinstein tweeted: “Not sure who needs to hear this but don’t do birthright.”

Birthright Israel is a heritage trip to Israel for Jewish young adults from across the world.

On September 6, 2019, Rubinstein tweeted: “Found out family friend (16) was going on birthright and was so anxious but just saw his ig post with

and the pinned location palestine and you know the kids are all right.”

On May 22, 2019, Rubinstein tweeted: “Said a misheberach (healing prayer) for all the birthright kids I saw in the airport who are about to have their minds poisoned.”

Anti-Israel Activism

On April 12, 2018, Rubinstein was a featured speaker at Swarthmore SJP’s student panel event “On Anti-Semitism: A Student Panel.”

The event’s Facebook description said that Swarthmore SJP activists would answer questions such as: “How can we understand the conflation of Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism? What does all of this have to do with Jewish identity, the Occupation of Palestine, and the interconnection of these oppressions?”

On May 14, 2018, Rubinstein posted a Facebook profile picture promoting INN’s #EmbassyOfFreedom” campaign. The picture included text that read: “The Jewish Future Demands Palestinian Freedom.”

That day, INN hosted an event in Washington, D.C. titled: “The #EmbassyOfFreedom: Rally Against Israeli Violence on Gaza." The Facebook event description read: “Join IfNotNow members and supporters in Washington D.C. on May 14 to protest the opening of Trump’s Embassy of Occupation… the future of the Jewish community is opposed to that… and to the ongoing Israeli Occupation."

In May 2018, terror organization Hamas instigated the “March of Return.” Thousands of violent rioters attempted numerous breaches of Israel’s border fence with Gaza, seeking to harm Jews across the border. Media reports confirmed [00:00:20] protesters’ breaches and attempted breaches of the fence, some by armed Palestinians. On May 15, 2018, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said the Gaza protests were only a pretext of “peaceful resistance.”

On April 22, 2019, Rubinstein participated in Swarthmore JVP’s “Passover for Collective Liberation” event.

On December 2, 2019, Rubinstein updated her profile picture on Facebook with a frame from INN and text that read: “We Will Outlive Them.”

Swarthmore SJP

Swarthmore SJP was formerly known as Swarthmore Students for Peace and Justice in Palestine (Swarthmore SPJP) from 2010-2017.

Swarthmore SJP - Expressing Support for Terrorists

On March 26, 2019, Swarthmore SJP posted on Facebook in honor of Women’s History Month, celebrating “the resistance and resilience” of Khalida Jarrar as “a Palestinian feminist.”

Khalida Jarrar is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror organization. In 2017, Israel arrested Jarrar “on suspicion of involvement with terrorist activities.” In 2015, an Israeli military court sentenced Jarrar to 15 months in prison for calling to kidnap Israeli soldiers.

On March 24, 2019, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook celebrating Leila Khaled in honor of Women’s History Month.

Khaled, a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization, participated in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 in 1969 and El Al Flight 219 in 1970.

On May 6, 2017, Swarthmore SPJP posted a video to Facebook of SPJP members taking part in the “Saltwater Challenge.”

The “Saltwater Challenge” was held in solidarity with over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners hunger-striking in Israeli prisons — most of whom were convicted for acts of terrorism.

The strike was initiated by Marwan Barghouti, who was serving five consecutive life sentences for his role in suicide bombings and shooting attacks during the second intifada. Barghouti led the Palestinian Authority (PA) terrorist Tanzim force and founded the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Barghouti also financed the guitar-case bomb used in the Sbarro Cafe massacre, where 15 civilians were killed and 130 injured.

Swarthmore SJP - Promoting Anti-Israel Agitators

On March 28, 2019, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook celebrating Manal Tamimi in honor of Women’s History Month.

Manal Tamimi has promoted anti-Semitic blood libels as well as terror support.

On September 21, 2018, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook promoting Dareen Tatour. In October 2015, Tatour was placed under house arrest for incitement to violence and for support of a terrorist organization on social media.

On March 19, 2018, Swarthmore SJP hosted anti-Israel activist David Sheen.

David Sheen, a Canadian-Israeli anti-Israel activist and filmmaker, works to portray Israel as an extremist racist state. To this end, Sheen has been accused of purposefully mistranslating Hebrew articles and advertisements to make Israelis appear racist.

Swarthmore SJP - Supporting Violent Protesters

On March 30, 2019, Swarthmore SJP held a “Vigil for Gaza's Great March of Return.” The event’s Facebook description called to “Honor the lives of those murdered by Israeli military forces” on the “1-year anniversary of the ongoing Great March of Return, a series of massive nonviolent demonstrations.”

On March 30, 2018, some 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border to take part in “Land Day Protests” or the “March of Return.” The March of Return was organized and funded by Hamas as a campaign of violent protests along Israel’s border to spotlight the demand of Palestinians to “return” to Israel.

On May 17, 2018, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook: “for the past month and a half - and increasingly in the past couple of days - the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been massacring Palestinians in Gaza who are nonviolently protesting for their rights. Over 100 demonstrators have been killed and thousands injured, among them a number of children, most by trained snipers with explicit orders to kill.”

On May 16, 2018, Hamas senior official Salah al-Bardawil stated that 50 out of 62 Gaza border protesters killed on May 14 were in fact Hamas operatives. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) later claimed that three of its members were also killed at the May 14 protest.

Swarthmore SJP -Boycotting Sabra Hummus

On April 4, 2018, Swarthmore SJP held a rally to support SJP members slated to meet with Swarthmore President Valerie Smith to push the Sabra boycott.

On April 11, 2018, Swarthmore SJP reportedly held another rally at Swarthmore to promote the boycott, during which they held a moment of silence for protesters who died in the Great March of Return.

Approximately 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border on March 30, 2018 as part of the “March of Return,” which was organized and funded by Hamas as a campaign of violent protests to spotlight the demand of Palestinians to “return” to Israel.

On April 30, 2018, President Smith announced that Swarthmore would continue to sell Sabra products on campus and begin selling an alternative brand of hummus. In response, on May 2, 2018, Swarthmore SJP held a rally to protest Smith’s announcement.

Swarthmore SJP Divestment Campaign

On October 9, 2018, Swarthmore SJP held a rally to launch a BDS resolution that called on Swarthmore to divest from a number of companies doing business with Israel.

On October 24, 2018, Swarthmore student newspaper “Voices” published a statement by Swarthmore SJP. The statement accused seven companies of being engaged in the “murder” of Palestinian civilians” and “the indiscriminate targeting of civilians.”

On December 3, 2018, Swarthmore SJP released its BDS campaign video, titled: “Why Divest from Apartheid?”

On December 12, 2018, Swarthmore SJP videotaped a rally where activists reportedly delivered a petition to President Smith, urging Swarthmore to “divest from Israeli apartheid.”

At the rally, Swarthmore SJP activist William Marchese also suggested [00:12:07] that Swarthmore was under “intense pressure from right-wing alumni who want to stand with apartheid.”

In February 2019, Swarthmore SJP proposed their BDS resolution to Swarthmore’s Student Government Organization (SGO). On February 10, 2019, the BDS resolution failed to pass.

On February 11, 2019, Swarthmore SJP activist Sidney Covitz co-launched a chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) at Swarthmore with the reported intention of supporting “SJP’s BDS campaign in any way.”

On February 24, 2019, the SGO Executive Board and Senate reportedly hosted an open meeting on the failed BDS resolution. At the open meeting, 40 SJP members and the newly-formed JVP chapter advocated for BDS.

On March 3, 2019, the SGO held another meeting inviting student groups to again discuss the BDS resolution. SGO’s President Gilbert Orbea motioned to hold a vote among members on whether to make the meeting closed, that succeeded, after which SGO held a secret vote. At the secret vote, the SGO voted in support of the divestment resolution.

On March 12, 2019, President Smith released a statement to Swarthmore’s website in which she declined to change Swarthmore’s investment policies in accordance with the BDS resolution.

JVP

JVP was founded in Berkeley, California in 1996, as an activist group with an emphasis on the “Jewish tradition” of peace, social justice and human rights. The organization is currently led by Rebecca Vilkomerson and its board members include Israel critics Naomi Klein, Judith Butler, Noam Chomsky and Tony Kushner.

JVP, which generally employs civil disobedience tactics to disrupt pro-Israel speakers and events, consists of American Jews and non-Jewish “allies” highly critical of Israeli policies. A staunch supporter of the BDS movement, JVP claims to aim its campaigns at companies that either support the Israeli military (Hewlett-Packard) or are active in the West Bank (SodaStream).

Although several Jewish groups critical of Israeli policies, like J Street and Partners for a Progressive Israel, make efforts to operate within the mainstream American Jewish community, JVP functions outside. The group is 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.”

JVP denies the notion of “Jewish peoplehood” and has even gone so far as to refer to its own Ashkenazi (Jews who spent the Diaspora in European countries) leadership as “white supremacy inside of JVP.”

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has accused JVP of being “the largest and most influential Jewish anti-Zionist group in the United States,” and said the group “exploits Jewish culture and rituals to reassure its own supporters that opposition to Israel not only does not contradict, but is actually consistent with, Jewish value.”

The ADL also claimed that “JVP consistently co-sponsors rallies to oppose Israeli military policy that are marked by signs and slogans comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, demonizing Jews and voicing support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.”

According to the ADL website, JVP “uses its Jewish identity to shield the anti-Israel movement from allegations of anti-Semitism and provide it with a greater degree of legitimacy and credibility.”

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.

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.