Lema Hussein

Overview

Lema Hussein has spread anti-Semitism, demonized Israel and opposed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s definition of anti-Semitism. Hussein was involved in anti-Israel activism as the 2019 vice-president of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Florida (UF).

Hussein also attended the 2019 National SJP Conference.

National SJP held their conference at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (UMN), from November 1-3, 2019. The conference was themed: “Beyond Struggle: From Roots to Branches Towards Liberation.”

As of July 2020, The Tempest website listed Hussein as a “Staff Writer.”

In February 2018, Hussein ran for UF’s Student Government Senate.

As of December 2020, Hussein indicated on her LinkedIn that she was a Political Science and African American Studies senior at UF, slated to graduate in 2021.

Spreading Anti-Semitism

On May 15, 2020, Hussein posted to Facebook: “Today is the 72nd commemoration of the Nakba that led to the forced displacement of Palestinians and the destruction of thousands of Palestinian homes. Please read and digest this informational graphic that offers a concise explanation of what the Nakba is and its importance.”

Hussein embedded a UF SJP illustration that depicted a Jewish soldier as a vampire-like creature, pushing aside Christian and Muslim protection to loom over a Palestinian child. SJP UF eventually removed the photo from its social media platforms after Jewish groups criticized it as anti-Semitic.

Hussein also attached a series of posters of UF SJP’s Nakba day campaign, commemorating “the ethnic cleansing of indigenous Palestine and the Palestinian exodus of 1948.” The post then claimed that the Nakba “continues till this day.”

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.

Demonizing Israel

On July 2, 2020, Hussein shared a UF SJP post to Facebook that said: “Annexation is Apartheid, No to Annexation.”

The post claimed: “Today the Israeli government and military will begin to enact its plans to annex, or steal, more Palestinian land. The annexation is the culmination of decades of illegal settlement construction and human rights abuses at the hands of Israel.”

In the spring of 2020, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli sovereignty would be applied to certain areas of the West Bank. The annexation plan was canceled a day before the July 1, 2020 deadline.

On July 3, 2020, Hussein posted to Facebook: “To all my Gainesville peeps:” and promoted UF SJP’s “Day of Rage” protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2020 Middle East Peace plan, which proposed territorial exchanges.

On July 5, 2020, Hussein shared a postto Facebook promoting UF SJP’s “Day of Rage.”

The post encouraged those who couldn’t attend the “Day of Rage” in-person to “call your District Representative.” and demand they “say no to annexation,” end military aid to Israel and “demand the end of the training of the police...by the Isreali [sic.] occupational forces.”

On July 22, 2020, Hussein posted to Facebook: “

” and linked to a July 22, 2020 article published in UF’s student newspaper “The Alligator,” titled: “Letter to the editor: Palestine in the media.”

The article claimed: “Anti-Zionism rejects the colonial racism of Israel’s founding and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Palestinians within the occupied territories. It is the rejection of oppression and apartheid.”

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.

The article also compared Zionism in Israel to white supremacy in the U.S., claiming that both “maintain their grips of power through the exploitation, subjugation and displacement of indigenous groups.”

Opposing IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism

On December 23, 2019, Hussein wrote on Facebook: “Power. In. Numbers” and shared a National SJP poster stating“SJP United condemns Donald Trump’s executive order on ‘Combatting Anti-Semitism’.”

As of July 2020, SJP United’s statement stated that they “explicitly condemn” the Trump administration’s “adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition, which conflates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.”

The U.S. State Department adopted the IHRA’s working definition of anti-Semitism in 2016. Twenty-eight European countries, as well as Canada, Australia, Israel and Argentina, have also adopted the definition.

Anti-Israel Activism

On January 23, 2020, Hussein posted to Facebook: “Learning AND Dialogue AND freeing Palestine AND food?? What else is better. Make sure to hit that “going” button so we know how much food to bring !!” She also promoted UF SJP’s January 28, 2020 “Students for Justice in Palestine GBM [General Board Meeting]” event.

On that same day, Hussein posted to Facebook “Banksy who???” and linked to UF SJP photos of herself and other members and activists painting a mural that said “Free Palestine!.”

Banksy is the pseudonym of an England-based street artist, political activist, and film director. In 2017, Banksy financed and designed the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, designed to demonize Israel.

On January 17, 2020, Hussein shared on Facebook an Alligator article, titled: ‘From The River to the Sea,” that featured UF SJP’s photos of the mural painting.

On November 21, 2019, Hussein posted to Facebook: “

” and linked to a UF SJP video of UF SJP activists disrupting a pro-Israel event.

On November 20, 2019, Hussein wrote on Facebook: “Anti-Zionist Vibes Only. [7 remained in the room—they wish it was 17]” and linked to an article that described the UF SJP disruption of the pro-Israel event.

On September 15, 2019, Hussein wrote on Facebook: “Psssst...If you a real one, I’ll see ya there

.” Hussein’s post promoted a September 16, 2019, UF SJP “Students for Justice in Palestine GBM” event.

Attending the 2019 National SJP Conference

On November 3, 2019, UF SJP tweeted a photo featuring Hussein and UF SJP activistsand added: “RT @SJPUF: UF SJP is learning lots @NationalSJP, and we’re giving back by teaching other SJPs the gator chomp!”

The 2019 National SJP Conference was held at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities (UMN), from November 1-3. The Conference themes centered on support for BDS as well as the rejection of Israel and Zionism.

The Conference partnered with numerous anti-Israel organizations and conducted their event in a clandestine manner.

2019 National SJP - Supporting BDS

The Conference website called to capitalize on shifts in the political climate, represented by the elections to the U.S. Congress of Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who both support BDS. National SJP speakers also reportedly drew attention to Rep. Omar’s support for the BDS movement as the Representative for UMN’s Congressional district.

During the Conference, National SJP speakers reportedly “noted the success of past divestment campaigns at the University [UMN], which ultimately resulted in the passing of a campus-wide [BDS] referendum in 2018.”

The UMN resolution passed in 2018 by a margin of 3.4 percent of those students who voted, translating to approval by 6.18% of all eligible voters. Less than 13% of the eligible voters actually voted on UMN’s BDS referendum.

2019 National SJP - Rejecting Israel and Zionism

The 2019 National SJP Conference website indicated that the goal of their “solidarity movement” was to push for policies that “demanded the end of” the state of Israel, referred to as “the Israeli occupation.”

The website clarified that “the Palestinian struggle against Zionism, extends beyond the confines of 1967, and well before the Nakba,” and was based on the rejection of Jewish national self-determination in Israel.

Nakba is an Arabic term for “catastrophe” and refers to the outcome of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It is a term often used to delegitimize the creation of the State of Israel.

2019 National SJP - Heightened Secrecy

The 2019 National SJP Conference required attendees to be “verified and vouched for” by an SJP chapter to which they belonged and required each chapter to register as a group. The conference also required each group to be verified by a “reference––someone who is NOT going to this conference but who is or has recently been a part of your SJP.”

Members of allied student groups could register only as part of an SJP chapter delegation which, in turn, needed to be “vouched for by their campus’s SJP” for “security culture and accountability reasons.”

The Conference also restricted media access to journalists “registered and confirmed by our Media Committee in advance to attend the conference. Absolutely no exceptions will be made.”

During the Conference, National SJP reportedly covered the windows of the conference hall.

2019 National SJP - Partnering Organizations

National SJP partnered with other anti-Israel organizations to table, sell merchandise and lead workshops, including CODEPINK, Palestine Youth Movement (PYM), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Palestine Legal, Watan Palestine and the Adalah Justice Project.

Keynote speakers included Loubna Qutami, Chair of PYM, as well as Taher Herzallah of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). Other speakers included Miko Peled, Sandra Tamari, Suhad Katib, Chris Gazaleh, Clarissa Bitar, Tariq Luthun, Maytha Alhassen and Sima Shakhsari.

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.