Leyla Gutierrez
Overview
Leyla Gutierrez has spread anti-Semitism and expressed support for members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror organization, as well as other terrorists.Gutierrez has also spread hatredof Israel, demonized Zionistsand pro-Israel campus events, promoted anti-Israel agitators and was an activist in the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
In January 2013, Gutierrez tweeted that she was the “PR head” of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and that she intended to attend the 2012 National SJP conference. In 2012, Gutierrez was affiliated with American Muslims for Palestine (AMP).
In November 2018, Gutierrez's Facebook page said she “Left” the University of Chicago (U of C) in 2011, where she studied Public Policy. Gutierrez's Facebook page also said she studied Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Hebrew U) and studied U.S. Foreign Policy at Georgetown University (GU).
On February 3 and 12, 2015, Gutierrez indicated on Twitter that she was “at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV).” On January 15, 2015, Gutierrez tweeted: “PALESTINE BOUND February 2nd - 12th. Should I shut down my twitter now or later?
In 2013, Gutierrez indicated on Twitter that she was in Jerusalem in May 2009.
As of January 2019, Gutierrez went by “Leyla Yamilla” on Facebook.
Anti-Semitism
On January 3, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “Ok I won't deal with more zio-trolling until after lunch. Hold your horses Zionists, I'll be back for you, I just have to get my day started.”
The term "Zio" is a common derogatory reference to Zionists, as well as an often-used anti-Semitic slur among white supremacists.
On March 2, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Zio-trolls are now messing with my sexual preferences and saying I fetishize Jews. #OutOfArgumentsMuch?
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “I love how all the Zio-trolls like @matanlurey now respect @normfinkelstein while he is hard at work undermining the state of Israel! #irony.”
On February 16, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “I would never want to be identified as a part of a people who use the Holocaust to cover their crimes to then turn around & rejoice at death.”
Support for PFLP Terrorists
On February 15, 2015, Gutierrez tweeted a photo of herself wearing a t-shirt featuring a graphic of Leila Khaled holding an AK-47 gun with text that read: “resistance is not terrorism.” Gutierrez commented: “With the amazing @MariamBarghouti at the Welcome Home Sekou Odinga event. #ExistenceIsResistance.”Leila Khaled is a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and participated in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 in 1969 and El Al Flight 219 in 1970. As of 2017, Khaled was a member of PFLP's Political Bureau. Khaled has said that the second intifada failed because it was not violent enough, advocated [00:36:07] for the use of children in terror activities and compared Zionists to Nazis.
On April 19, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “@MadeInNablus our methods of resistance are continually evolving, from Leila Khaled & the PLO in the '70's to #BDS & hunger striking.”
On July 27, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “‘Support the steadfastness of Gaza.’ Poster designed by Ghassan Kanafani for the PFLP in 1970.” The tweet featured a poster depicting a Palestinian woman raising an AK-47 assault rifle overhead.
Kanafani was a leading member and spokesperson of the designated terrorist organization the PFLP in its early years.
Kanafani announced the PFLP’s responsibility for the Lod Airport Massacre of May 1972 and was linked to the airport attackers. The attack killed 26 people.
Support for Terrorists
On March 15, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “My name is Leyla Gutiérrez. I am from Honduras. I will join the #GlobalHungerStrike Fri March 16 in solidarity with #ArabHungerStrikers.”The 2012 prisoners’ hunger strike included convicted terrorists such as Tha'er Halahleh and Bilal Diab — both members of the terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Also participating was Hamas military commander, Abdullah al-Barghouti— who was sentenced to serve 67 life sentences for his significant role in multiple terrorist attacks, including the Sbarro Cafe Bombing of 2001, which murdered 15 people and wounded more than 120.
Another hunger striker was Palestinian terrorist Samer Issawi — who received a 26 year prison sentence for shooting at Hebrew University students and Israeli police in 2002, as well as for manufacturing and distributing pipe bombs.
Also among the 2000 Palestinian hunger strikers was Khader Adnan, a senior member of PIJ. A 2007 YouTube video showed Adnan praising and encouraging suicide bombings: “Who among you will carry the next explosive belt? Who among you will fire the next bullets? Who among you will have his body parts blown all over?”
Also on March 15, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “@Saletra40 If you condemn armed resistance to Israel, why are you silent about nonviolent resistance of Hana Shalabi? #ArabHungerStrikers”
Hana Shalabi is reportedly a supporter of the terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Shalabi was arrested in 2012 for alleged “involvement in planned attacks” by PIJ.
On March 1, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted to Erin Burnett, a CNN anchor: “@ErinBurnett I like you. You're intelligent and pretty. I wish you'd do a story on Hana Al Shalabi's hunger strike #Israel.”
On February 14, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Where are the Palestinian Ghandis they ask? Khader Adnan is only one of many but you STARVE him to death, Israel. #Hungry4Justice”
Also on February 14, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “#KhaderAdnan is only one Palestinian of many who is #Hungry4Justice but he is brave enough to lead the way for us all to have REAL freedom.”
Spreading Hatred of Israel
On February 27, 2015, Gutierrez tweeted: “@TheLostJ I have a rule. Never f**k homophobes, Zionists, or Republicans. (And chauvinists of course) but they're nice to look at sometimes”On October 18, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “Hanan Ashrawi is currently defending Hamas. Why does Israel get to decide who is ‘evil’? We have the right to political pluralism #Palestine”
Also on October 18, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “‘Palestine is occupied by Israel & every1 knows it. The United States of America is occupied by Israel but not every1 knows it’ @FaroukShami.”
On October 3, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “that's the 1 thing Israel never disappoints with: f**kery agnst Palis during Muslim/Christian holidays.”
On July 20, 2014, during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE), Gutierrez tweeted: “People are attending ‘solidarity with Israel’ marches. Solidarity with...massacre? Genocide? Ethnic cleansing? Wtf have you no shame???”
Israel commenced Operation Protective Edge (OPE) in July 2014, to stop rocket fire targeting Israeli civilians and to destroy Hamas attack tunnels.
On July 17, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “Israel strategically chose the moment when world's eyes are focused on Malaysian plane to launch ground invasion on Gaza. F**kery is unreal.”
On January 29, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “F**k you Israel, kus umek IDF, HIJOS DE LA GRAN PUTA LES DESEO LA MUERTE MÁS NEFASTA Y VIOLENTA. [F**k you Israel, f**k the mothers of the IDF, sons of the great whore I wish you the most harmful and violent death].”
On November 15, 2012, during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense (OPD), Gutierrez tweeted: “Ppl who'Stand w/Israel'better get the f**k out my way lest they want to find out firsthand why Honduras is the most dangerous place on Earth.”
Israel launched OPD to stop Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli civilians from Gaza. Over the course of eight days in November 2012, Palestinian terrorist groups fired more than 1,500 rockets at Israel. The majority struck Israel, damaging homes, schools and other civilian areas. Human Rights Watch noted: “Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim.”
On November 14, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Let me get this straight, Israel's ‘excuse’ for bombing #Gaza is that they are an Iranian proxy? They've run out of PR strategies to murder.”
On October 17, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “pinkwashing is a practice where Israel tries to get the world to forget their apartheid crimes & see them as a gay haven #fail.”
“Pinkwashing” is a claim that Israel advocates manipulate the LGBTQ community in order to garner support for Israel.
On May 12, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “I blame Israel from everything from my ulcer to break-ups.”
On March 2, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “At 23, I've only lived in 3 countries my entire life, #Israel being the most racist of them all, hence my concentrated efforts @matanlurey.”
On February 17, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “I only buy world maps that do not say Israel on them #fact.”
On the same day 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “#PalestiniansLikeMe will never allow Israel to pinkwash its crimes.”
Demonizing Zionists
On July 31, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “@4theonly1 hi, can you please remove me from this conversation? I don't engage with paid Zionists.”On July 19, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “DON'T ENGAGE ZIONISTS. They are getting PAID for every tweet you send to them
On July 10, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “Honestly, Americans are my least favorite people ever. Like, below Israelis.”Gutierrez added: “@rtxNewsSource it also upsets me significantly more to see Americans be Zionists than it does Israelis. No excuse whatsoever.”
On May 21, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “There's no such thing as a Zionist who supports equal rights.’”
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “Why I tweet about Zionists is beyond me. All it does is raise my blood pressure & give me ulcers. I will give up Zionists along with alcohol.”
On February 21 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “That's how* much I hated all those Zionists pretending to be academics. I passed up FREE wine. #what #blameIsrael”
On February 21, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “So weird to hear ‘Zionist’ not used with a negative connotation.”
On February 16, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “‘If you're not Zionist we can be friends.’ - me to @SeanEPanjab when we met irl”
On February 14, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “Like I've always said don't f**k homophobes, Zionists, or Republicans. #liferule #PRT”
On February 1, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “I feel like I impart this wisdom at least once a month, but it's all I have to give. Girls: NEVER f**k homophobes, Zionists, or Republicans.”
On January 2, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “@MrsShitrit @cifwatch nope I only pick fights with racists aka Zionists, never depending on people's religion.”
On April 22, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Three rules in life: Don't f**k Republicans. Don't f**k Zionists. Don't f**k misogynists. That's it.”
On April 21, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Life is amazing and so are you (unless you're a Zionist). #motivationaltweet.”
On February 26, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Christians united for Israel? #f**kthesepeople.”
On February 23, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “@CiFWatch Calling some1 a Zionist is describing them, the same as calling some1 Racist, Fascist,or Elitist. It's never flattering. #sorry :(.”
On February 10, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “#PalestiniansLikeMe know Zionism is a dirty word, with even dirtier people.”
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “#PalestiniansLikeMe follow alternative news sources, we don't fall for Zionist lies fed to the American public.”
Demonizing Pro-Israel Campus Events
On April 26, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “‘Happy Ethnic Cleansing Day, come eat some falafel, more Arab stuff we've appropriated in addition to Palestine!’ -Chicago Friends of Israel.”On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “Then they tried to offer me falafal while I handed out literature with facts about the ongoing, systematic ethnic cleansing in Israel. #cute.”
Also on April 26, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Because falafel is only 64 yrs old, the pro-apartheid group on campus Chicago Friends of Israel handed it out for ‘Israeli Independence Day.’”
On April 2, 2012, in response to an event at U of C on “The U.S.-Israel Relationship” with former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, Gutierrez tweeted: “Israel, Israel we can see...You are no democracy! #OrenAtUofC.”
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “Michael Oren you can lie...you can't hide Israel's crimes. #OrenProtest.”
Promoting Anti-Israel Agitators
On January 6, 2018, Gutierrez tweeted praise for Ahed Tamimi, writing: “To many pro-Palestinian activists, Ahed Tamimi is a symbol of resistance, a child hero, a freedom fighter. Comparisons have been drawn to Malala Yousafzai and Joan of Arc. She has been lionised on social media, and publicly praised by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas…”Gutierrez’s tweet featured a graphic of Ahed Tamimi with a caption that read: “FREE AHED.”
On December 29, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted to anti-Israel activist Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of Electronic Intifada (EI): “Happy Birthday to the biggest & baddest of them all @AliAbunimah. The way you make Zionists shake in their boots is my inspiration. #respect.”
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted encouraging her Twitter followers to follow the co-founder of Al-Awda, Abbas Hamideh
Hamideh is the co-founder of Al-Awda, The Palestinian Right to Return Coalition, which advocates for BDS and the destruction of Israel. Hamideh’s Twitter feed is replete with comparisons of Israel to Nazi Germany as well as support for Hamas and Hezbollah.
Gutierrez also tweeted that day encouraging her Twitter followers to follow anti-Israel Remi Kanazi, who is known for his aggressively anti-Israel spoken-word performances. He has supported terrorism and has compared Israel to both ISIS and the Ku Klux Klan.
On August 10, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “@falasteeni @mehdirhasan I love Haneen Zoabi! Sounds fair, she's worth 10,000 Zionists and the scale's still tipping in her favor. #bigfan.”
On May 4, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “#FF to my favorite speakers ever: @MaxBlumenthal @AliAbunimah @Remroum #Palestine.”
Blumenthal’s 2013 book, “Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel,”was dubbed “The Israel Hater’s Handbook” by Eric Alterman of the progressive magazine The Nation.
BDS Activism
On March 27, 2018, following New Zealand singer Lorde’s cancellation of her planned concert in Israel, Gutierrez tweeted: “LORDE, we appreciated you refusing to play in Israel so much we bought tickets to come and see you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #Chicago #Lorde.”Lorde cancelled her concert in Tel Aviv following protests by BDS activists.
On April 12, 2016, Gutierrez tweeted: “#BDS #UofCDivest.” Gutierrez was responding to a tweet that read: “BREAKING: @UChicagoSG College Council passes divestment resolution, 8-4-3. More reporting to follow.”
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “GUYS! UofC SG is voting today to divest from companies complicit in the occupation of #Palestine. Pls come support!”
The tweet featured a screenshot of a Facebook post by Gutierrez that read: ‘UCHICAGO: ‘Tonight! University of Chicago student government will vote on a resolution to divest from companies complicit in Israel’s human rights abuses. It’s important that we fill up the place. Last week’s meeting there was about 70 people from the opposition. So tonight, the most important night, SJP wants to fill the whole room with people from our side….”
On March 28, 2016, a coalition of organizations, including Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Chicago (JVP UChicago) and SJP U of C, launched the UofC Divest campaign. The campaign called on U of C’s College Council to pass a resolution urging the university’s divestment from targeted companies doing business with Israel.
On April 14, 2016, two-weeks after the UofC Divest campaign’s launch, the College Council reportedly passed the resolution in an 8-4-3 vote.
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “It was so beautiful to see #UofCDivest pass w/ the person I began this journey with. I feel privileged to know her
Gutierrez also tweeted a photo that day of UofCDivest activists celebrating the passing of the resolution and wrote: “#UofCDivest passed!!! Sorry For being late with the news guys!!! It was amazing, congratulations to @SJPUChicago.”
On April 8, 2015, Gutierrez tweeted: “@Poirot_Dines PS Will u please sign my petition asking @kanyewest to heed the #BDS call & cancel his trip to Israel”
The tweet linked to a petition started by Gutierrez, titled” “Honor the Palestinian civil society call to boycott the apartheid state of Israel.” The petition called on Hip Hop artist Kanye West to cancel his scheduled performance in Israel.
Also on April 9, 2015, Gutierrez tweeted at celebrities Kim and Khloe Kardashain to pressure Kanye West to cancel his concert and to sign her BDS petition.
On July 23, 2014, Gutierrez tweeted: “@TarekWaBas @Lillbirdtoldme @TheBlahDalia seriously though, join a boycott or divestment campaign in your city! Or better yet, start one!
On December 27, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “#MyJihad is getting people in my family to stop buying trash: HELP ME!! #BDS.”
On March 1, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Guys, @avimayer, the social media head for Jewish Agency (aka #Israel cheerleader) just called ME a #BDS cheerleader. #GoLeyla!”
On February 10, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “#PalestiniansLikeMe know that it is a victory when artists like Elvis Costello and Catpower refuse to perform in apartheid Israel. #BDS.”
On the same day, Gutierrez tweeted: “#PalestiniansLikeMe will bring Israel to its knees. #BDS.”
Anti-Israel Activism
On May 15, 2018, Gutierrez indicated on Twitter and was listed on Facebook as having “went” to a Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP)-organized event titled: “Emergency Rally: Reject US Embassy Move & Israeli Massacres”CJP includes [00:01:08] several Chicago based Pro Palestinian organizations, including AMP and SJP Chicago.
Protesters at the rally chanted [00:00:09]: “Hey Israel what do you say!... How many kids did you kill today?” The also chanted [00:03:08]: “Who is the terrorist?... Israel is the terrorist.”
On December 7, 2017, Gutierrez tweeted a photo of herself posing in a group photo and wrote: “Most lit protest crew ever
On June 4, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “Sorry guys just being a hater. @SJPUChicago will always be my baby. Official SJP mom 4 lyfe.”
On February 24, 2013, Gutierrez and SJP at UofC activists reportedly disrupted a speech at U of C by Israeli legal theorist Amos Guiora.
During the speech, the entire front row of the audience reportedly “stood up, picked up their folding chairs, turned around and sat back down with their backs to the speaker. A short time later, the protesters walked out.”
On January 13, 2013, Gutierrez tweeted: “@amanda_917 this was my life when I was ‘PR head’ 4 SJP. Should've majored in poster making, God knows I have the credits.”
On December 25, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Just my duty as former SJP mom!”
On February 10, 2012, Gutierrez attended and ran the donations booth at a panel event hosted by SJP U of C and AMP. The event condemned Israel’s 2008 - 2009 Operation Cast Lead. The event featured Remi Kanazi and Ali Abunimah.
On January 17, 2012, Gutierrez tweeted: “Meeting lots of tweeps at this SJP event!! Come join us at swift hall @Uchicago!! Feat poet @remroum and author @aliAbunimah #Palestine.”
On September 27, 2011, Gutierrez tweeted: “SJP meeting > espresso any idea. Always emerge so energized and refreshed from meetings! Love the board! #Students4JusticeinPalestine.”
On September 22, 2011, Gutierrez tweeted: “Just had an amazingly successful SJP open house with the new @UChicago freshmen! #LOVEIT #Students4JusticeInPalestine @samikishawi.”
On August 24, 2011, Gutierrez tweeted: “@araberican you should come to SJP events! We have amazing ones, @samikishawi is our prez!!! Also, tell your friend to join SJP!”
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.
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.
AMP
American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) was founded by UC Berkeley Professor Hatem Bazian as a vehicle to generate mainstream support in the United States for the Palestinian national cause.
On its website, the organization lists Bazian as the chairman of its national board and describes itself as “a national education and grassroots-based organization, dedicated to educating the American public about Palestine and its rich cultural, historical and religious heritage.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has accused AMP of promoting “extreme anti-Israel views and has at times provided a platform for anti-Semitism under the guise of educating Americans” about Palestinians. The ADL further stated that AMP is directly involved in campus-based anti-Israel activity through Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).
Prior to founding the AMP in 2006, Dr. Bazian created SJP together with fellow UC Berkeley Professor Snehal Shingavi in 2001. The close working relationship between AMP and SJP has been documented several times over the years by several organizations, including NGO Monitor and StandWithUs.
In addition to providing financial, public relations and legal assistance to SJP, AMP has also been accused of having connections to Hamas. The AMP national board includes former members of both the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP) and Holy Land Foundation (HLF), both of which were found liable for aiding and abetting Hamas. The IAP was founded by Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, a senior member of Hamas.
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/1234260945
Photos & Screenshots
