Hesham Sharafaldin

Overview

Hesham Sharafaldin [Hesham Sharaf Al Deen] participated in the burning of an Israeli flag and shouted at Israel supporters in 2021. Sharafaldin has participated in multiple violent rallies with Within Our Lifetime (WOL). 

WOL is an anti-Israel activist group in New York City co-founded by Nerdeen Kiswani. Until 2018, WOL was known as a branch of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), going by NYC SJP. WOL’s “Points of Unity” states: “We defend the right of Palestinians as colonized people to resist the zionist occupation by any means necessary.”

Sharafaldin has participated [00:00:27] in activism with the New York chapter of Al-Awda (Al-Awda NY). Anti-Israel activist Lamis Deek leads the group.

As of July 2023, Sharafaldin’s LinkedIn profile said he was studying for a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Brooklyn College (BC), part of the City University of New York (CUNY), slated to graduate in 2024. 

Also as of July 2023, Sharafaldin indicated on Facebook that he was located in Brooklyn, New York.

As of the same date, Sharafaldin used the handle “@heshoom.ny” on Instagram and “@Thetrueyellowflash” on Facebook.

May 20, 2021 - Violent Counterprotest in Times Square

On May 20, 2021, during a counterprotest against a pro-Israel rally in Times Square, Sharafaldin participated [00:57:55] in the burning the remnants of an Israeli flag. He also shouted [00:40:07] at Israel supporters while other anti-Israel protesters yelled: “Nazis! Nazis!” He can be seen [00:57:58] wearing a white t-shirt. The counterprotest later turned violent as detailed below. 

At the rally, Sharafaldin chanted [00:33:06]: “Free, Free Palestine!” He also shouted [00:02:28]: “English! English, p**sy!” at an Israel supporter who stood behind a police barricade erected to separate the pro-Israel side from the anti-Israel activists.

After demonstrators threw projectiles, police removed the barricade it had installed and proceeded to arrest several anti-Israel activists. Police declared the assembly to be “unlawful” and demanded that the crowd disperse or be arrested. Despite police warnings, some rioters reportedly continued to throw projectiles at police while others fled the scene. 

At the rally, anti-Israel protesters violently attacked and reportedly yelled anti-Semitic slurs at Joseph Borgen, a Jewish man who was heading to the pro-Israel rally in Times Square. He was beaten to the ground, kicked and punched. Police arrested activists and charged them with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime, and aggravated harassment as a hate crime. That same day, other anti-Israel activists also shot fireworks at people. 

On May 21, 2021, WOL posted two Instagram posts offering legal support and advice to anyone arrested “while protesting for palestine.” The posts also portrayed the assailants as victims.

April 16, 2022 - Al-Awda Rally in Brooklyn

Sharafaldin participated [00:00:26] in an Al-Awda NY rally on April 16, 2022, titled: “Emergency Rally to Defend Al-Aqsa.” In a Twitter video posted by Al-Awda NY, he can be seen [00:00:27] with his arms crossed, wearing khaki pants and a beige tunic, with a keffiyeh as a shawl.

The allegation that Jews “threaten” to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been a traditional pretext for Arab attacks on Jews long before the existence of the modern Jewish state.  

At the rally, anti-Israel activists held a sign that said [00:00:06]: “...STOP FUNDING ZIONIST GENOCIDE” and chanted [00:00:01]: “Hey hey, ho ho, Israel has got to go!” as well as [00:01:32]: “Resistance is justified when people are occupied!” 

Among Palestinians and anti-Israel activists, the term “resistance” can be a euphemism for nationalistic terror. It is often used to excuse or even glorify anti-Israel and anti-Semitic violence.  

July 31, 2021 - WOL Rally in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Sharafaldin participated [00:47:30] in a WOL rally that called on people to “GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA.” He wore [00:47:35] a white t-shirt and held a Palestinian flag while hanging outside the rear left window of a moving car.

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.

On July 30, 2021, WOL posted a flyer on Instagram for the upcoming rally that said: “As Palestinians continue to bravely confront ethnic cleansing and genocide, it’s time to globalize the Intifada… Globalize the Intifada comes from the urgent need to…break free from the genocidal grip of U.S. imperialism and Zionism.”

Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own national home, and the right to develop their national culture.

On July 31, 2021, after fireworks were lit at the rally, WOL leader Nerdeen Kiswani told [01:02:43] the crowd: “I hope that a pop-pop is the last noise that some Zionists hear in their lifetime!” 

The WOL activists responded with loud cheers and applause.

At the rally, Kiswani also led [00:00:26] Arabic chants which reportedly translated: “The Gate of Al-Aqsa is made of iron, it can be opened only by martyrs!” and [00:00:54]: “Either we liberate [Palestine] or we die!” 

Later at the rally, Kiswani translated [00:55:55] the chants into English, saying that “the Palestinian community and the people who stand with and support Palestine are 100% behind our martyrs. We are 100% behind our resistance… We know that our liberation will only come through resistance by any means necessary.”

June 15, 2021 - WOL-Organized March in Manhattan

Sharafaldin participated [00:24:41] in a WOL rally outside the Israeli consulate in Manhattan. The rally was titled: “Emergency Rally to Defend Palestine.” Sharafaldin can be seen [00:24:41] on the right wearing a red t-shirt and masking his face with a red and white keffiyeh.

WOL’s event flyer on Instagram urged supporters: “Stand with the call from Palestine against the zionist invasion on Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.”

Sharafaldin also appeared [00:00:29] in an Instagram video from the rally, standing alongside other activists who chanted: “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Zionism has got to go!” 

May 18, 2021 - WOL Rally in Manhattan

Sharafaldin participated [00:11:39] in a May 18, 2021 WOL protest at the Israeli consulate in Manhattan, titled: “Emergency Rally to Defend Palestine.” WOL held the rally to protest Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW) against terrorists in Gaza.

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 OGW, carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.

At the rally, anti-Israel protesters held signs that said [00:33:07]: “STOP! All US Imperialist Support for Israel. STOP! Israeli Genocidal Attacks on Palestinians” and [00:33:08]: “Imperialist AMERICA supports the GENOCIDE led by APARTHEID Israel.” They also chanted [00:33:13]: “Intifada, Intifada!”

On the same day as the WOL-organized protest, anti-Israel activists assaulted [00:00:03] two pro-Israel men.

Also on the same day, activists burned [00:24:45] an Israeli flag and chanted: “Burn that s**t! Burn that s**t!”

Kiswani and five other WOL activists stood on top of the lion statues outside of the New York Public Library. The activists standing on the statues waved Palestinian flags and set off smoke canisters. 

May 15, 2021 - WOL-Organized Rally in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Sharafaldin participated [slides 1 and 5] in a May 15, 2021 WOL rally during OGW titled: “Nakba 73 Defend Palestine!” The rally took place in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He can be seen [slides 1 and 5] in photos on Instagram.

The term “Nakba” is generally translated as “catastrophe” in Arabic, referring to the outcome of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It is a term often used to delegitimize the creation of the State of Israel by defining it as a catastrophe.

At the protest, anti-Israel protesters held signs that said [00:06:40]: “F**k Israel. All my homies hate Israel. #FreePalestine” and [00:06:21]: “Zionists are Nazis.” They also chanted [00:07:13]: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” and [00:27:34]: “5,6,7,8 Israel is a terrorist state.”

“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” is a chant calling to dismantle the State of Israel. It has also been employed by Hamas leader Khaled Mashal to call for the replacement of Israel with an Islamic state.

Also at the protest, anti-Israel protesters chanted [00:25:13]: “بروح ودم نفديك يااقصى [With spirit, with blood, we will redeem you, Aqsa]!”

The chant: “be-ruh be-dam nifdik ya Aqsaبروح ودم نفديك يااقصى [With spirit, with blood, we will redeem you, Aqsa]” can be heard [00:01:14] at anti-Israel rallies [00:02:19] in America. Yasser Arafat popularized the chant [00:00:23], which is invoked by anti-Israel protesters regarding a variety of causes.

The chant: “be-ruh be-dam nifdik ya Aqsaبروح ودم نفديك يااقصى [With spirit, with blood, we will redeem you, Aqsa]” can be heard [00:01:14] at anti-Israel rallies [00:02:19] in America. Yasser Arafat popularized the chant [00:00:23], which is invoked by anti-Israel protesters regarding a variety of causes. 

WOL

Within Our Lifetime (WOL) is a pro-terror activist group in New York City dedicated to Israel’s destruction within the lifetime of its members. 

Acts of violence and physical confrontations with police have frequently occurred at WOL protests and marches. WOL uses harassment campaigns to target pro-Israel organizations or companies that do business with Israel, making it a part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. 

Multiple activists who have either burned Israeli flags or led chants at WOL rallies were later jailed for violent anti-Semitic hate crimes, including Saadah Masoud and Waseem Awawdeh. In Masoud’s case, he received 18 months in jail for an anti-Semitic assault at an April 2022 WOL rally and two other anti-Semitic assaults in 2021.

WOL promotes “resistance” against Israel “by any means necessary,” calls to “Globalize the Intifada,” spreads incitement and idolizes [00:34:06] Palestinian terrorists like Leila Khaled and others at rallies and online events.

WOL was founded by Nerdeen Kiswani and Dan Cione in 2015. Kiswani is a frequent speaker at WOL rallies where she has promoted terrorism against Israelis and called for the death of Zionists. She has also provided support for Masoud and other activists following their arrests. 

WOL began as the New York City chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), going by NYC SJP, but changed its name in 2018. The group is not found to be registered in any U.S. state as a nonprofit organization under its official name. Nor is there any listing for WOL under its name on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website for tax-exempt organizations.

Social Media and Web Links

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Thetrueyellowflash    

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/heshoom.ny/ [Private]            

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@user928362919732 [Deleted]

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/heshamsharafaldin/