Isaac Flegel-Mishlove

Overview

Isaac Flegel-Mishlove [Isaac Samuel Flegel-Mishlove] was arrested after disrupting the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate, alongside leaders from American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). He is an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and a Strategy Coach at IfNotNow (INN) since 2016.

As a national leader of INN, Flegel-Mishlove either made the decision or was complicit in INN’s decision to partner with the anti-Semitic AMP.

Flegel-Mishlove also helped lead [00:30:23] an INN D.C. disruption in U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s office, in partnership [00:06:06]with Taher Herzallah.

Flegel-Mishlove co-organized [00:02:30] INN’s anti-American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) protest in 2017, defended anti-Israel agitators and led [00:14:09] an INN DC demonstration protesting the U.S. embassy’s move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

He also signed a Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) petition rejecting the "Antisemitism Awareness Act” and participated in repurposing Jewish rituals.

Flegel-Mishlove was the co-president of the Georgetown Jewish Student Association in 2012-2013. As of June 2019, Flegel-Mishlove’s LinkedIn page said he was a law student at the University of California, Berkeley - School of Law (Berkeley Law), slated to graduate in 2021.

Flegel-Mishlove’s LinkedIn page said he graduated from Georgetown University (Georgetown) in 2015, with a bachelor’s degree in Regional Comparative Studies.

Disrupting the U.S. Ambassador to Israel

On February 16, 2017, Flegel-Mishlove disrupted the confirmation hearing of U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, joined by fellow INN activists Lilah Weintraub and Thomas Corcoran and Taher Herzallah, Associate Director of Outreach and Community Organizing of AMP and Kareem El-Hosseiny, the Government Relations Coordinator of AMP.

Flegel-Mishlove along with the other INN activists and AMP leaders, were arrested.

On February 19, 2017, Weintraub, Corcoran and Flegel-Mishlove released an op-ed in Haaretz where they said that “David Friedman traffics in hate” and that “His vision for the region...would make the occupation of the West Bank, a daily nightmare for those who live under it, permanent.”

The article also declared: “By interrupting Friedman’s hearing, we showed Trump, Netanyahu, and the Jewish establishment that we will take action and risk arrest if necessary to end our community’s support for the occupation and stand up against racism and bigotry in all of its forms.”

Promoting BDS

On April 16, 2018, Flegel Mishlove helped lead [00:10:43] an INN DC disruption in partnership with Taher Herzallah of AMP. The disruption was to protest U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s proposed anti-BDS legislation. INN activists were arrested for occupying Cardin’s office.

During the disruption, Herzallah criticized [00:06:06] Cardin’s anti-BDS legislation, Senate Bill S.720. As INN activists were nodding in approval, Herzallah said [00:06:55] “we stand here today to oppose S.720.”

Herzallah also claimed that the Israeli response to the Great March of Return protests on their border with Gaza was that [00:05:42] “the Israeli soldiers pick off Palestinian protesters like it’s open season.”

Media reports confirmed [00:00:20] the Gaza protesters’ breaches and attempted breaches of Israel’s border fence, some by armed Palestinians. One Hamas leader declared [00:00:30]: “We will take down the border [with Israel] and we will tear out their hearts from their bodies.”

During the disruption, Jill Raney, an INN organizer, called [00:09:55] on Senator Cardin to condemn: “Israeli violence against peaceful protesters.”

INN activist Sarah Beth Alcabes read out the names [00:07:17] of Palestinians [00:20:20] “killed by the IDF for protesting” and led [00:09:10] activists in saying the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer for them.

The Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish is a prayer customarily reserved for close relatives or Jews murdered for being Jews.

Following INN’s intrusion into Cardin’s offices, Herzallah was interviewed [00:44:49], for INN’s Facebook page, pledging: “we will continue to stand every Friday, ‘til we return, continue on the Great March.”

Demonizing AIPAC

On March 26, 2017, Flegel-Mishlove was the co-organizer [00:02:32] of an INN protest outside the Washington, D.C. venue of the AIPAC policy conference, where some activists chained themselves to the entrance of the conference center.

On January 24, 2017, prior to the rally, Flegel-Mishlove was featured in an INN DC video calling to #ResistAIPAC and participate in the INN protest.

In the video, Flegel-Mishlove claimed [00:00:53] that AIPAC was “the most egregious exploiter of Jewish fears of anti-Semitic violence, using it to encourage 50 years of “hellish” Occupation and violence.

The stated mission of AIPAC is to “strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel.”

In an INN-produced video filmed during the protest and posted to Facebook, Thomas Corcoran, then-INN Digital Coordinator, said [00:35:37] that AIPAC had “perpetuated Islamophobia” for years.

Cornel West, anti-Israel Professor, spoke [00:43:42] at the rally. West has dismissed Jewish historical connections to Israel, labeled Israel an apartheid state and equated [00:00:23] the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) with Hamas.

Four INN activists purchased tickets to the conference, posing as AIPAC delegates, in order to gain access to the building. Once inside, the INN activists dropped banners from the center’s third floor, stating that they “reject AIPAC and the occupation,” before being removed by security.

On March 28, 2017, following the anti-AIPAC rally, INN’s activities were endorsed by Robert Warren Ray, a “Feature Writer” from the Neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer.

Ray wrote on the Daily Stormer: “I am officially endorsing the Jew vs Jew AIPAC protests... You’re doing our work for us. Keep it up.”

On March 26, 2016, Flegel-Mishlove participated in an INN DC protest outside the Washington, D.C. venue of the AIPAC Conference, calling to “#DumpAIPAC.”

INN organizers claimed on Facebook that AIPAC's invitation to the U.S. President revealed AIPAC was “more invested in the politics of hate than in a vision of a peaceful Middle East.”

Following the protest, Flegel-Mishlove posted on Jewschool where he accused AIPAC of putting “the freedom, dignity, and human rights of Palestinians at risk” and claimed that “AIPAC and Trump deserve each other. Their messages both condone bigotry and violence.”

Defending Anti-Israel Agitators

On February 13, 2019, Flegel-Mishlove appeared and was tagged in Berkeley Law SJP’s photo of its members, holding a sign that said: “We Stand with Ilhan.” The photo featured the comment “#istandwithilhan.”

Ilhan Omar was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2018. In February 2019, top Congressional leaders denounced Omar for tweeting anti-Semitic remarks. She has also demonized Israel and endorsed BDS.

On September 28, 2017, Flegel-Mishlove appeared in a photo on Twitter, along with other INN organizers and anti-Israel activist Issa Amro. The tweet read: “From the US to Palestine, @IfNotNowOrg and American Jews stand for freedom and dignity for all with our friend @Issaamro #endtheoccupation.”

Violent agitator Issa Amro — head of the Youth Against Settlements (YAS) movement — is known for vandalism and attacking Israeli soldiers in Hebron. Amro has been charged with numerous acts of violence against Israeli civilians and security forces.

YAS, an anti-Israel NGO based in Hebron, has posted photos on its Facebook page that propagate anti-Semitism, laud rock-throwing and urge its members to participate in violent anti-Israel demonstrations.

Opposing the Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

On December 8, 2017, Mishlove led [00:14:09] an INN DC demonstration in front of the Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) building in Washington, D.C., protesting the U.S. government’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The Facebook event description called the U.S. government’s move “incitement.” During the protest, Rachel Mandelbaum, an INN organizer, filmed [00:33:37] the demonstration and said [00:14:09] that although this action would not include getting arrested: “sometimes, it’s nice to get arrested to really get your point across.”

At the demonstration, Flegel-Mishlove also claimed [00:14:43] that “every year, the JFNA sends millions of dollars away from North American Jewish communities” to Israel.”

Opposing the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act

In December 2016, Flegel-Mishlove signed a JVP-launched petition opposing the bi-partisan Anti-Semitism Awareness Act (AAA), which was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate on December 1, 2016.

The AAA directed the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to use the U.S. State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism when evaluating hostile environment complaints.

JVP’s petition asserted that anti-Semitism did not warrant its own bill, but should rather be considered equal to other forms of bigotry. The petition also purported that “real anti-Semitism” came from the “white supremacist movements in this country” and contended the bill did “little to protect us, as Jewish students, from these dangers.”

The petition also claimed that BDS was “not inherently anti-Semitic�� and called the State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism “problematic.”

Repurposing Jewish Rituals

On April 19, 2016, Flegel-Mishlove helped lead an INN DC “liberation seder” in front of Hillel International’s office in Washington, D.C. The activists can be seen sitting at a mock Passover Seder table and wearing t-shirts that say: “No Liberation With Occupation.”

A Seder is a Jewish Passover ritual, that involves telling the story of Israelites’ Exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt, to travel to the Promised Land.

INN uploaded resources for public use and claimed that approximately 500 people participated in their liberation seders. Twenty three INN activists were reportedly arrested at liberation seder events across the country.

On April 17, 2016, Flegel-Mishlove participated in an INN DC demonstration outside of the Yiddish theatre, Theatre J, in Washington, D.C. The event took the form of a Jewish Havdalah ceremony to oppose the “Occupation.” The Havdalah ceremony is traditionally performed at the conclusion of the Jewish Sabbath.

INN Activism

On May 19, 2018, Flegel-Mishlove posed for a group photo posted on Facebook, from an INN DC training event co-led by Taher Herzallah from AMP.

INN’s comment on the Facebook photo described the training as gathering to “learn more about the history of Gaza, Palestinian non-violent resistance and how our community can take action to oppose the Israeli Military's recent actions.”

In May 2018, violent riots, instigated by Hamas on the Israeli-Gaza border, saw thousands of rioters attempting numerous breaches of Israel’s border fence, with participants declaring their intention to harm Jews across the border under the pretext of “peaceful resistance.”

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

On September 13, 2017, Flegel-Mishlove promoted INN on the Georgetown Jewish Student Association’s Facebook group page. Flegel-Mishlove posted an INN promotion video and urged Jewish students to “hit me up if you're interested in learning more, getting involved, or building IfNotNow on campus”

On August 12, 2016, Flegel-Mishlove posed for a photo posted by INN DC on Facebook, holding a sign that read: “Our Vision: A Jewish community that stands with the Movement for Black Lives and against the occupation.”

Flegel-Mishlove held the sign during an INN DC protest in support of “the Movement for Black Lives and against the occupation.”

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) previously issued a statement that strongly “condemned the anti-Semitic and anti-Israel views expressed in the platform,” of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) policy platform. The platform claimed Israel was committing “genocide” and promoted the BDS movement.

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.

IfNotNow (INN)

IfNotNow (INN) is an anti-Israel organization founded in 2014, in response to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE) against Hamas.

INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”

INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.

INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.

INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.

One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.

INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.

INN claims to take no position on the BDS movement and that it is “open to any who seek to shift the American Jewish public away from the status quo that upholds the Occupation.” However, INN organizes with pro-BDS, anti-Israel organizations including American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).