Ma'lak Zatar
Overview
Ma’lak Zatar has whitewashed terrorism, demonized and promoted hatred of Israel. She has also demonized Zionists and defended the public harassment of a Holocaust survivor. Zatar was a member of Students For Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois (UIC).Zatar was affiliated with the Muslim Students Association (MSA) on UIC campus in 2019 and has expressed support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
In March 2021, Zatar was a “certified immunizer for the COVID-19 vaccine.”
As of April 2021, Zatar’s LinkedIn page said she was a “Volunteer/ Youth Program Organizer” at the Orland Park Prayer Center since July 2019.
Zatar’s LinkedIn page also stated that she was a UIC Honors College Pre-Medical Student, slated to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience in 2023.
Whitewashing Terrorism
On May 29, 2018, Zatar tweeted: “The fact that you think the people of #Palestine launched over 27 rockets to Israel is hilarious! Last time I checked, there wouldn't be any casualties on the Palestinians side (just like the israelis) if they had weapons--- because they don't! Stop making stuff up b/c ur bored!”
Zatar was responding to a tweet that reported: “This morning, #Palestinian terrorists in #Gaza fired barrage of (over 27) rockets at #Israel.”
Also on May 29, 2018, Gaza-based Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist factions claimed responsibility for firing close to 30 rockets and mortar shells into Israel’s south, earlier that day.
Demonizing Israel
On July 15, 2019, Zatar tweeted: “How does that justify trying to erase an entire population? How does that justify murder, oppression, and genocide? How does that justify anything? Btw there’s a comma after the word ‘Arabs’— not a period.”
Zatar was responding to a tweet that read: “Dear Arabs. You have all the green. We have the little red dot. And u call us colonizers? B4 the 7 century Arabs were only in Arabia! All the Middle East was Greek and Christian with Jews living in judea. You are the colonizers!”
On that same day, Zatar tweeted in response to since-deleted tweet by former U.S. President Donald Trump: “THEY HATE ISRAEL BC THEY DONT BELIEVE IN TERRORISM, OPPRESSION, OR GENOCIDE— ALL OF WHICH YOU SAY YOU’RE AGAINS! The difference is that they’re not hypocrites like you!”
Zatar retweeted a July 22, 2019 tweet that said, in reference to Israel’s security barrier: “First Israel steals Palestinian land, then they build a wall on the stolen land to separate Palestinians and now Israel demolishes Palestinian homes in order to protect the wall. Sick.”
Israel’s security barrier, 97 percent of which is a low chain-link barrier, was built as a deterrent to Palestinian terror attacks. The concrete portions of the fence were built in response to Palestinian sniper attacks.
Zatar retweeted a July 30, 2020 tweet that said: “Israel is a settler colonial apartheid state built on stolen Palestinian land & is constantly forcibly displacing, murdering, and violently oppressing the Palestinian People. We must demand to #AbolishApartheid & to reject Israeli annexation of Palestinian land #NoToAnnexation.”
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 September 4, 2020, Zatar tweeted: “You mean as if they’re not supporting genocide!”
Zatar was responding to a tweet that said: “people on birthright be like ‘i’m home
‘ while eating traditional Palestinian food and drinking stolen Palestinian water in an artificial forest planted on top of an ethnically-cleansed Palestinian village.” The tweet thread added “and then they expect us not to bully them!!!! as! if! they’re! not! fully! supporting! f**king! apartheid!Birthright Israel is a heritage trip to Israel for Jewish young adults from across the world.
Promoting Hatred of Israel
On December 9, 2017, Zatar tweeted: “Jerusalem will always be the capital of Palestine, no matter what any law or stale Cheeto puff says Jerusalem will always be the capital of Palestine! #HandsOffJerusalemPalestine, my home, will always be in my heart!.”
.”The hashtag “#HandsOffJerusalem” was created to protest the U.S. government’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
On August 4, 2019, Zatar tweeted: “1. Clearly, Jake Tapper has no idea what he’s talking abt in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict— OPEN A TEXTBOOK AND SEE WHO BUILT THE WALL THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!
2. What does this issue have to do with Trump directly inciting mass murders of innocent people? (Thread).”
In August 2019, CNN journalist Jake Tapper blamed shootings in El Passo, Texas and Dayton Ohio on then-President Donald Trump’s statements criticizing illegal immigration. Tapper also likened President Trump’s comments to incidents of incitement by Palestinian leaders to commit terrorist attacks against Israelis.
In the same thread, Zatar tweeted: “3. Last time I checked, it was innocent Palestinian children dying on the streets of occupied Palestine (otherwise known as the entire country) 4. It’s actually ‘Israeli’ parents and leaders who encourage this ideaology that Palestinians are the enemy and need to be exterminated.”
Zatar also tweeted in the same thread: “***Quotes used around the non-existent term ‘Israeli’ because the reality is that there is no such thing as an ‘Israel’. Point-blank.****”
Zatar retweeted an October 2, 2019 tweet that said: “Demi Lovato posts a picture thanking Israel... and then turns the comments off so no one can mention Palestine in the comments. Proving she isn’t ignorant to it all, she’s just purposely choosing to ignore the genocide taking place. We see you crackhead Demi.”
The tweet was in response to artist Demi Lovato, who tweeted that her visit to Israel was “magical.”
Zatar also retweeted another tweet from the same day that wrote: “demi lovato praising israel and it’s fake history and existence... innocent people get killed everyday and this woman is glorifying all of it. i’m speechless. free palestine forever.”
On October 4, 2019, Zatar tweeted: “I honestly do not understand the logic behind this comment. How can you say that you choose an (obvious) side in the Holocaust but not the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. There is a literal genocide (UN DEFINED) happening in Palestine and you refuse to hold Israel accountable?”
Demonizing Zionism
Zatar retweeted a December 15, 2019 tweet from anti-Israel activist Yousef Munayyer that said: “The whole point of trying to equate anti-zionism with antisemitism is to make the very existence of Palestinians antisemitic. Thus anyone who even dares look at them as human beings becomes an antisemite or at minimum tolerant of antisemitism. It is disgusting and must be opposed.”
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 April 6, 2019, Zatar tweeted: “By saying that Anti-Zionism is the same thing as Anti-Semitism you are therefore associating zionism—a violent movement reared to erase all history of Palestinians— with Judaism. One of the biggest false analogies created.”
Zatar retweeted a December 5, 2017 tweet that stated: “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. Israel is an apartheid state founded on the illegal occupation of Palestine by the Israeli military. Zionism is the racist & colonial ideology which justifies the ethnic cleansing of my people - the indigenous people of Palestine.”
Defending Harrasment of a Holocaust Survivor
Zatar retweeted an October 27, 2019 twitter thread by the SJP chapter at Benedictine University (BenU) defending the public harassment of a Holocaust survivor.On October 24, 2019, Holocaust survivor and Jewish scholar Dr. Harold Kasimow, an emeritus professor of religious studies at Grinnell University and a visiting scholar at BenU gave a presentation at BenU.
Kasimow survived the Holocaust as a young child, hiding with his family from the Nazis, in a pit his father dug underneath a horse's stall in a farmer’s cattle barn. The family survived for more than 19 months in the lice-infested pit, by eating potato peelings from the farmer's family and an occasional scrap of bread.
Kasimow said that: “Most of the Jews in that area were shot...As far as I know, we are the only family that survived from that area.” Almost all other families in his town were rounded up by the Nazis and shot or transported to concentration camps.
At the end of Kasimow’s formal presentation, Ayah Ali, president of SJP at BenU, stood to address Kasimow and tried to get Kasimow to equate Israel with Nazi Germany. https://canarymission.org/individual/Ayah_Ali
In the video, Ali expressed sorrow for Kasimow’s Holocaust experience, thanked him for sharing his “story” and said [00:00:14]: “But, I want to bring your attention towards a similar story, I wanted to draw a parallel between a very similar occurence that’s happening present day and history [sic], that’s been happening for around 71 years, now.”
Ali continued [00:00:28]: “I’m sure you know about what’s happening in Palestine - and my question to you is: Do you support, or do you condemn, the establishment of the Zionist Israeli state, and whether it’s OK to exile and completely, the complete ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, the way that the Jewish people were exiled and ethnically cleansed?”
Kasimow said [00:01:55]: “it’s really both sides need to open to each other and talk to each other,” adding [00:02:00] that Israelis and Palestinians who were talking to each other to solve the conflict were in touch with him.
Kasimov continued [00:02:07]: “That Israel should exist? Yes. I think Israel should exist.”
Ali pressed again [00:02:13] “I’m gonna tie it back to my original question: Do you support, or condemn, the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people?”
As Kasimow began [00:02:21] to answer, Ali continued: “Because the establishment of the Israeli state and the idea of Zionism ties back to the right of that Israeli state at any cost and that cost is the Palestinian people.”
Again, as Kasimow tried to respond, Ali said [00:02:35]: “I am a result of experiences that you have been through. I am a survivor, of the Intifada and that is way after 1948 when Palestinian land was occupied...I went through minimal amounts of things that the Palestinian people went through and it’s disappointing to know that a Holocaust survivor would remain neutral in a situation of injustice.”
Kasimow replied [00:02:57]: “it’s not a matter of neutral...it’s not total guilt or innocence on either side.”
Ali began to speak over [00:03:10] Kasimow and again pressed [00:03:17] him to express his personal opinion.
Kasimow, noted [00:03:26]: “Sometimes I feel people express - have a very strong opinion on issues on which they don’t have sufficient knowledge. And I’m always troubled by that. And this is an issue that I don’t have enough knowledge to say a yes-or-no answer. I think it’s very complicated.” Kasimow then repeated his hope for a peaceful, two-state solution to the conflict.
Ali said she agreed, then picking up her bag, walked off saying: [00:04:07]: “Honestly, I’m so sorry to hear what happened to you, but I’m honestly very hurt by the fact that I cannot gain your support. Have a great day.”
Zatar retweeted an October 27, 2019 SJP BenU twitter thread that said: “Earlier this week, Holocaust survivor, Harold Kasimow spoke at Benedictine University. He described to us what it felt like to undergo horrific circumstances such as the Holocaust at a very young age.”
Zatar also retweeted another October 27, 2019 tweet from the same Twitter thread that said: “Inspired by his words and beliefs, an SJP Benedictine member mentioned a current situation that is ongoing: the genocide, ethnic cleansing, and exile of Palestinians living in under occupation.”
Zatar also retweeted another tweet from the same thread that said: “Palestinian children have suffered from the lack of basic human rights and are targeted because of their identity. However, to our surprise, Mr. Kasimow was in full support of the Israeli state that is built upon the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
Zatar retweeted another tweet from the same twitter thread that said: “If we are against oppression, we need to be against ALL oppression, and if Mr. Kasimow stands against ethnic cleansing, then it is expected that he be against ALL ethnic cleansing, and he has failed to apply his same principles to the victims of the Palestinian Occupation.”
Promoting SJP
Zatar retweeted SJP UIC’s November 18, 2019 tweet that said: “SCE [Student Center East] is lookin finnnne” along with photos of SJP UIC members standing next to a display they erected that demonized Israel, along with a lettered sign that stated “wonder what a Free Palestine looks like?.”
The display called to “End Israeli Apartheid” and featured a representation of a concrete portion of Israel’s security fence, displaying the phrase “From the River to the Sea.”
“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.
Zatar retweeted an October 3, 2019 tweet by SJP Chicago, that stated: “
#SJPUIC Exciting Event AlertPalestine: What Now? Join SJP and professor Andy Clarno in an informational session and student workshop discussing life under Israeli occupation and what kind of future do we want to build.” The SJP Chicago tweet featured a likeness of airplane hijacker, Leila Khaled.Khaled is a leader 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 for the use of children in terror activities and compared Zionists to Nazis.
The PFLP claimed credit for the 2014 Har Nof Massacre where six people were murdered during morning prayers in a Jerusalem synagogue. The PFLP also claimed credit for the 2001 assassination of the Israeli tourism minister.
Zatar retweeted an October 19, 2019 tweet by SJP Chicago that stated: “
We are thrilled to be co-sponsoring US Palestinian Community Network's "Resisting the Attack on Palestiniam Political Prisoner Advocacy with Lana Ramadan from Addameer!”
We are thrilled to be co-sponsoring US Palestinian Community Network's "Resisting the Attack on Palestiniam Political Prisoner Advocacy with Lana Ramadan from Addameer!”Addameer is an NGO that advocates on behalf of prisoners held in Israeli jail, including many terrorists such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) recruiters Mohammad Allan and Khader Adnan. Addameer’s senior leadership includes [pp. 29-35] senior Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorists like Khalida Jarrar, whom Addameer also advocates for. In 2021, Israel officially designated Addameer as a terror organization.
BDS Activism
On May 15, 2019, Zatar tweeted: “Yo @ChrisEvans you might wanna rethink your decision to support an oppressive and terroristic state that is literally causing a mass genocide right now. There are plenty of more jobs in the sea!.”
Actor Chris Evans starred in the 2019 film “The Red Sea Diving Resort,” a fictionalized story of a true-life rescue mission of Ethiopian Jews by Israeli Mossad agents.
Zatar retweeted a February 17, 2020 tweet by the SJP chapter at the University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign (UIUC), which encouraged followers to “PLEASE SHARE!!!” SJP UIUC attached a statement by UIUC Divest, condemning “the veto of Resolution 03.61. Please share widely!”
UIUC launchedtheir 2020 UIUC Divest Campaign on February 4, 2020, calling upon “the [UIUC] Board of Trustees to pull its investments from companies that normalize, engage in, or fund recognized violations of human rights, including those of the Palestinian people.”
The resolution passed the UIUC student senate by a vote of 20-9-7, but was vetoed by the Illinois Student Government (ISG) President.
SJP UIC 2020 - Encouraging “Zionist Shaming”
On December 11, 2020, SJP UIC posted to Instagram a meme with text that said: “START ZIONIST SHAMING.” SJP UIC added: “Here’s some memes to end your finals week :).”The meme posted was a photo of a boy hiding his face as others pointed accusatory fingers at him. Text accompanying the meme read: “START ZIONIST SHAMING” as other text that said: “ZIONISTS HAVE NO CULTURE,” “racist!” “COLONIZER!” “how are you sunburnt if you’re indigenous?,” “chocolate hummus looking a**,” “steal anyone’s land today?” and “GO BACK TO BROOKLYN.”
SJP UIC 2019 - Spreading Incitement
On March 3, 2019, SJP UIC posted a photo of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
SJP UIC added: “
Please take note of this and read the message above. The Dome of the rock and Al-Aqsa mosque are 2 different structures within the Al-Aqsa barriers . It's important to know this because it's a key aspect of Palestine's history.🇵🇸.”The allegation that Jews “threaten” to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque served as the excuse for an upsurge in Palestinian violence that flared in the fall of 2015 and incited Palestinians to attempt mass casualty attacks on Israeli civilians in July 2016.
Such propaganda has been a traditional pretext for Arab attacks on Jews long before the existence of the modern Jewish state.
SJP UIC Promoting Terrorist
On March 7, 2019, SJP UIC posted a photo of Basil Al Araj to their Instagram page, adding: “Basil Al-Araj-the educated martyr (1984-2017).”
On March 22, 2019, SJP UIC promoted [slide 5] its “Apartheid Wall Display” to Instagram. The Instagram post featured murals of Leila Khaled and Yasser Arafat painted onto Israel’s security barrier.
Leila Khaled participated in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 in 1969 and El Al Flight 219 in 1970. She was a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Yasser Arafat, known as the “father of modern terrorism,” was the former leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). During the second intifada, Arafat encouraged children to carry out “martyrdom” operations against Israel.
Arafat reportedly told Arab diplomats in a secret meeting in 1996: "We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare and population explosion. Jews will not want to live among Arabs. I have no use for Jews. They are and remain Jews."
On April 11, 2019, SJP UIC posted on its Instagram stories a series of photos and short videos, under the title “Tatreez [Embroidery],” that included [slide 8] a set of stickers for sale, including one of Ghassan Kanafani.
On November 5, 2019,SJP UIC promoted on Instagram an event using photos of Leila Khaled and Yasser Arafat.
SJP UIC also retweeted a March 18, 2020 SJP DePaul tweet that said: “Today’s figure is Leila Khaled, a widely known and controversial figure in the Palestinian cause. Swipe to read about Khaled and visit our instagram for more !”
SJP UIC Calling for Intifada
On November 14, 2018, SJP UIC hosted a “Gaza Rally” on UIC’s campus quad.On that same day, SJP UIC posted [slide 5] a video to their Instagram stories highlights titled “Protests,” where SJP UIC activists chanted “Intifada, Intifada! Long Live the Intifada!” and “Israel is a terrorist state!”
From 2000-2005, the second intifada was marked by more than 120 suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians in cafes and on buses.
SJP UIC Supporting Violent Protestors
On June 1, 2018, SJP UIC posted a series of videos to their Instagram stories highlights, titled “Protests.” The first slide was of a video titled “THE MARTYRS OF GAZA. SAY THEIR NAMES,” while the second showed SJP UIC activists lying on their backs.On that same day, SJP UIC posted to Facebook: “In the Great March of Return, 112 Palestinians murdered and 13 of which are children! The time to act is now! #freepalestine 🇵🇸” and attached the same video of protestors participating in the rally, captioned “THE MARTYRS OF GAZA. SAY THEIR NAMES.”
On that same day, SJP UIC posted a photo of the protestors lying on the ground and added: “Today many came out to protest the massacre on the Palestinians of Gaza. We have to keep fighting and speak up to let the world know what is happening to Palestinians on a daily basis. #Palestine #Gaza #greatreturnmarch
.”In May 2018, thousands of rioters attempted numerous breaches of Israel’s border fence during violent riots, instigated by Hamas on the Israeli-Gaza border. Participants declared their intention to harm Jews across the border under the pretext of “peaceful resistance.”
SJP UIC 2019 - Promoting Hatred of Israel
On November 19, 2019, SJP UIC promoted an SJP Chicago poster to their Instagram page, titled: “GAZA: The Largest Open Air Prision [sic].”On November 20, 2019, SJP UIC promoted and co-hosted SJP Chicago’s “Die-In Rally for Gaza” and seven other SJP chapters.
The event’s Facebook description read: “This weeks bombing in Gaza is part of the larger ethnic cleansing of Palestine and a reoccurring attack on Gaza. Join us in a die-in to let the world know Chicago condemns Israel's war crimes!” During the event, participants lay [00:05:36] on the floor, next to a sign that read: “Gaza Open Air Prison.”
During the rally, Mahmoud Awadallah, an SJP Chicago activist and student at DePaul University (DePaul), spoke into a bullhorn, declaring [00:03:11]: “We, as students of SJP Chicago, are here today to condemn Israel’s constant assault on the Palestinian people” and added [00:03:26] “...we condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
On November 21, 2019, SJP UIC posted an Instagram photo of SJP UIC activists taken at the “die-in” rally, where SJP UIC activists held an Israeli flag, defaced with the word “GENO
CIDE.”On November 23, 2019, SJP UIC posted a series of Instagram photos of SJP UIC activists at the rally, including [slide 2, 7] two photos of SJP activist Mona Zubi, who held a poster that read: “Zionism is Racism.”
SJP UIC 2020 - Promoting Hatred of Israel
On March 13, 2020, SJP UIC posted [slide 7] an Instagram photo of SJP UIC Board Member Laila Zayed holding a garbage bag captioned “Israel.”On May 26, 2020, SJP UIC posted [slide 2] an Instagram photo of the SpongeBob cartoon character spraying cleaning fluid on an overflowing garbage can, superimposed with the Israeli flag, and the caption: “Can’t have dirty garbage.”
SJP UIC 2019 - Demonizing Israel
On November 22, 2019, SJP UIC held a “Moment of Silence for Gaza” rally.In November 2019, Israel launched “Operation Black Belt” to stop rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. The rockets were sent by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group on November 12-14, 2019, targeting Israel’s biggest civilian population centers.
On November 22, 2019, and November 23, 2019, SJP UIC posted a series of videos of the Moment of Silence Gaza rally to their Instagram story highlights.
During the rally, protestors chanted [slides 3-4] “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!” One protestor held [slide 5] a sign that said “Zionism is Racism.”
The chant “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” has also been employed by Hamas leader Khaled Mashal to call for the replacement of Israel with an Islamic state. It is a chant calling to dismantle the State of Israel.
SJP UIC featured [slide 11] a video of SJP UIC board member Malak Kanan speaking into a megaphone during the rally, stating that “Israel launched dozens of air raids on Gaza… killing innocent civilians and residents.”
Kanan also said [slide 10] that “it is with our tax dollars that Israel is able to commit these crimes against humanity,” and added [slide 14] “we condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
SJP UIC 2021 - Boycotting Jewish and Israeli Institutions
On February 2, 2021, SJP UIC condemned on Instagram UIC’s School of Public Health (SPH) for hosting a talk by Professor Gabi Bin Nun of Israel’s Ben Gurion University, titled “A Description of the Health Care System in Israel.”SJP UIC wrote: “This isn’t the first time we’ve protested UIC School of Public Health’s strong relations with colonial institutions,” adding: “Is social justice working with ethnic cleansers?”
SJP UIC then invited students to copy their email template protesting [slide 3] Professor Bin Nun’s talk and send it to UIC’s SPH.
On February 10, 2021, SJP UIC condemned UIC’s SPH for inviting Israeli speakers to campus, adding: “These speakers perpetuate the colonial ideology that Israel was founded on.”
On February 19, 2021, SJP UIC encouraged students on Instagram to sign an “Open Letter” condemning UIC’s SPH event featuring Professor Bin Nun.
The letter suggested the Jewish Metropolitan Fund of Chicago (JUF) was “racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian” and condemned SPH for allowing the JUF to fund the SPH Israeli Visiting Scholars program. The letter went on to suggest Israel blocked Palestinian access to COVID-19 prevention and treatment.
The SJP UIC letter also made a series of demands of UIC, including “the termination of ties between SPH and Israeli academic institutions” and the “termination of speakers that are visiting UIC as representatives of Israeli Institutions.”
On March 3, 2021, SJP UIC posted to Instagram that its representatives attended Professor Bin Nun’s talk and “persistently asked questions regarding Palestine.”
On March 11, 2021, SJP UIC posted to Instagram: “SJP is calling all organizers and activists to join us starting 12 pm on March 16th in our social media storm demanding the UIC School of Public Health answer for why they work with Islamophobic, anti-Arab, transphobic and homophobic organizations.”
On March 16, 2021, SJP UIC launched their #CutTheTiesUICSPH social media campaign on Instagram and Twitter. SJP UIC’s “Twitter storm for SPH campaign” contained over 60 tweets to copy and tweet out, as well as downloadable graphics and testimonies of anti-Israel student activists who had attended Bin-Nun’s lecture.
The campaign called to cut ties with the Jewish United Fund of Chicago (JUF) and to object to future JUF-sponsored meetings “like any other anti-religious group,” and suggested such meetings were affront to all of UIC’s Muslim students.
The JUF, also known as the Jewish Metropolitan Fund of Chicago and the Jewish Federation of Chicago, serves as the central philanthropic address of Chicago's Jewish community.
In one Instagram post, SJP UIC stated: “Our Demand is that the UIC School of Public Health stop working with Islamophobic organizations.”
That same day, another one of SJP UIC’s Instagram posts said: “Islamophobia is a product of Zionism, and UIC’s School of Public Health is complicit.”
One of SJP UIC’s suggested tweets stated: “Palestinians were called 'illegal aliens' and pushed the responsibility towards the Arab world as if Israel isn’t mandated under Geneva convention to vaccinate the occupied people of Palestine." #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is responsible for providing health services - and specifically, vaccinations - to Palestinians under its jurisdiction, as per Annex III, Article 17 the 1995 Oslo Accords signed by Israel and the PA.
In December 2020, PA officials reportedly insisted that they were going to procure the vaccines without Israel’s assistance. Israel had already provided vaccines to non-Israeli Arab residents of East Jerusalem.
Palestinian liaison officials later reportedly contacted Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) department to request the vaccine, which Israel agreed to provide.
Another suggested tweet stated: “‘It was so clear that SPH only cares to promote a very specific narrative about Israel, one that washes over the colonization, ethnic cleansing, and occupation of the Palestinian people.’ #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
Also on March 16, 2021 , SJP UIC tweeted: “Instead of bringing Israelis to talk about how great their apartheid system is, why not bring Palestinians to talk about the injustices they face in health access and health equity? #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
SJP UIC also tweeted: “There are over 5000 Muslim students on the UIC campus making up 15% of the student body populationHowever, UIC school of Public health still found it appropriate to allow an Islamophobic group such as JUF host an event here. #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
Another SJP UIC tweet stated: “Despite 200+ signatures requesting the cancellation of this event, SPH administrators refused to cancel this event. WHY? Does SPH not care about their Muslim and Arab/MENA students? It’s evident they do not.
#CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth”
Another tweet read: “UIC doesn’t allow any hate groups or anti-religious groups to speak at their campus so, why is it different now when it comes to an Israeli speaker?
#CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
Another tweet read: “Calling out apartheid and racism is not antisemitism. #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
On April 7, 2021, SJP UIC posted to their Facebook page: “We have great news! This past Monday at the USG meeting a resolution was passed declaring USG stands in solidarity with SJP and their allies in our campaign demanding SPH cut ties with the Islamophobic and racist JUF and other Zionist entities! Solidarity
!” SJP UIC 2021 - Boycotting Jewish and Israeli Institutions
On February 2, 2021, SJP UIC condemned on Instagram UIC’s School of Public Health (SPH) for hosting a talk by Professor Gabi Bin Nun of Israel’s Ben Gurion University, titled “A Description of the Health Care System in Israel.”SJP UIC wrote: “This isn’t the first time we’ve protested UIC School of Public Health’s strong relations with colonial institutions,” adding: “Is social justice working with ethnic cleansers?”
SJP UIC then invited students to copy their email template protesting [slide 3] Professor Bin Nun’s talk and send it to UIC’s SPH.
On February 10, 2021, SJP UIC condemned UIC’s SPH for inviting Israeli speakers to campus, adding: “These speakers perpetuate the colonial ideology that Israel was founded on.”
On February 19, 2021, SJP UIC encouraged students on Instagram to sign an “Open Letter” condemning UIC’s SPH event featuring Professor Bin Nun.
The letter suggested the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF) was “racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian” and condemned SPH for allowing the JUF to fund the SPH Israeli Visiting Scholars program. The letter went on to suggest Israel blocked Palestinian access to COVID-19 prevention and treatment.
The SJP UIC letter also made a series of demands of UIC, including “the termination of ties between SPH and Israeli academic institutions” and the “termination of speakers that are visiting UIC as representatives of Israeli Institutions.”
On March 3, 2021, SJP UIC posted to Instagram that its representatives attended Professor Bin Nun’s talk and “persistently asked questions regarding Palestine.”
On March 11, 2021, SJP UIC posted to Instagram: “SJP is calling all organizers and activists to join us starting 12 pm on March 16th in our social media storm demanding the UIC School of Public Health answer for why they work with Islamophobic, anti-Arab, transphobic and homophobic organizations.”
On March 16, 2021, SJP UIC launched their #CutTheTiesUICSPH social media campaign on Instagram and Twitter. SJP UIC’s “Twitter storm for SPH campaign” contained over 60 tweets to copy and tweet out, as well as downloadable graphics and testimonies of anti-Israel student activists who had attended Bin-Nun’s lecture.
The campaign called to cut ties with the JUF and to object to future JUF-sponsored meetings “like any other anti-religious group,” and suggested such meetings were affront to all of UIC’s Muslim students.
The JUF, also known as the Jewish Metropolitan Fund of Chicago and the Jewish Federation of Chicago, serves as the central philanthropic address of Chicago's Jewish community.
In one Instagram post, SJP UIC stated: “Our Demand is that the UIC School of Public Health stop working with Islamophobic organizations.”
That same day, another one of SJP UIC’s Instagram posts said: “Islamophobia is a product of Zionism, and UIC’s School of Public Health is complicit.”
One of SJP UIC’s suggested tweets stated: “Palestinians were called 'illegal aliens' and pushed the responsibility towards the Arab world as if Israel isn’t mandated under Geneva convention to vaccinate the occupied people of Palestine." #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is responsible for providing health services to Palestinians under its jurisdiction, as per the Oslo Accords.
In December 2020, PA officials reportedly insisted that they were going to procure the vaccines without Israel’s assistance. Israel had already provided vaccines to non-Israeli Arab residents of East Jerusalem.
Another suggested tweet stated: “‘It was so clear that SPH only cares to promote a very specific narrative about Israel, one that washes over the colonization, ethnic cleansing, and occupation of the Palestinian people.’ #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
Also on March 16, 2021 , SJP UIC tweeted: “Instead of bringing Israelis to talk about how great their apartheid system is, why not bring Palestinians to talk about the injustices they face in health access and health equity? #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
SJP UIC also tweeted: “There are over 5000 Muslim students on the UIC campus making up 15% of the student body populationHowever, UIC school of Public health still found it appropriate to allow an Islamophobic group such as JUF host an event here. #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
Another SJP UIC tweet stated: “Despite 200+ signatures requesting the cancellation of this event, SPH administrators refused to cancel this event. WHY? Does SPH not care about their Muslim and Arab/MENA students? It’s evident they do not.
#CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth”
Another tweet read: “UIC doesn’t allow any hate groups or anti-religious groups to speak at their campus so, why is it different now when it comes to an Israeli speaker?
#CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
Another tweet read: “Calling out apartheid and racism is not antisemitism. #CutTheTiesUICSPH @uicpublichealth.”
On April 7, 2021, SJP UIC posted to their Facebook page: “We have great news! This past Monday at the USG meeting a resolution was passed declaring USG stands in solidarity with SJP and their allies in our campaign demanding SPH cut ties with the Islamophobic and racist JUF and other Zionist entities! Solidarity
!” SJP UIC Israel Apartheid Week 2019
On March 23, 2019, SJP UIC posted to Facebook: ”SJP is so excited to announce our Apartheid week! It will be April 8th-11th! Be ready to learn about Palestine's enriching history while also celebrating its beautiful culture and resistance against Israeli apartheid.”SJP UIC’s Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) Facebook event page described IAW as a “weeklong series of events held on campuses nation-wide to expose Israel as an apartheid endeavor. We also aim to celebrate Palestinian resistance against colonization and oppression together.”
The event page also said: “Join us for as we display a mock apartheid wall! This separation barrier represents apartheid and exclusion.”
SJP groups on campuses have constructed mock “apartheid” walls to draw attention to alleged Israeli human rights violations against Palestinians.
On April 11, 2019, SJP UIC posted a series of photos and short videos to their Instagram stories highlights, documenting the building of their “Mock Apartheid Wall.”
Slide 8 of the April 11th Instagram SJP UIC post showed a video that documented SJP UIC unfurling a large Palestinian flag from a second-story balcony and chanting [slide 9] "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!"
On April 12, 2019, SJP UIC posted a group photo to Instagram of SJP UIC activists standing in front of a “mock apartheid wall” that had written on it “End Israeli Apartheid.”
SJP UIC added: “The Apartheid wall display was an absolute success! So proud of our campus. Thank you to everyone who came out, contributed, and showed solidarity. We stand for justice together as a team and a family
#uicsjpapartheidweek.”SJP UIC Digital Apartheid Week 2020
From May 11-15 2020, SJP UIC promoted and participated in SJP Chicago’s “Digital Apartheid Week” designed to replace SJP’s “Israel Apartheid Week” across Chicago due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.On May 16, 2020, SJP DePaul activist Mahmoud Awadallahhosted two videos live-streamed on SJP Chicago’s Instagram page, titled: “Quarantine with Falasteen,” as part [00:30:24] of SJP Chicago’s “Digital Apartheid Week.”
Awadallah started the event by stating [00:02:26] that, in honor of Nakba day, “We are celebrating the Palestinian resistance that has been going on for 72 years.”
During the event, Awadallah hosted singer Mary Hazboun, who sang [00:23:07] a song “very dear” to her heart, from when she was in Bethlehem during the violent second intifada. The violent second intifada targeted Israeli civilians and caused more than 9,000 Israeli casualties.
Hazboun added [00:23:28]: her son was “dedicated to the martyrs’ Shahada.” The Shahada is the Muslim confession of faith.
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.
MSA
The MSA was established by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in January 1963 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with the goal of "spreading Islam as students in North America." A 2004 FBI investigation uncovered an internal Muslim Brotherhood document in which a brotherhood leader identified the MSA as "one of our organizations."
The MSA reportedly has “nearly 600 chapters” located in the United States and Canada, and is “the most visible and influential Islamic student organization in North America,” boasting conferences, special events, publications, websites and other activities.
The organization includes a number of previous chapter presidents with explicit links to terrorist groups. Included are al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki (Colorado State University), Somali al-Shabaab militant leader Omar Shafik Hammami (University of South Alabama) and Pakistani Taliban recruiter Ramy Zamzam of the MSA's Washington, D.C. council.
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.
Social Media and Weblinks
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Videos
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Infamous Quotes
“***Quotes used around the non-existent term ‘Israeli’ because the reality is that there is no such thing as an ‘Israel’. Point-blank.****”
“By saying that Anti-Zionism is the same thing as Anti-Semitism you are therefore associating zionism—a violent movement reared to erase all history of Palestinians— with Judaism. One of the biggest false analogies created.”
“How can you say that you choose an (obvious) side in the Holocaust but not the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. There is a literal genocide (UN DEFINED) happening in Palestine and you refuse to hold Israel accountable?”
“THEY HATE ISRAEL BC THEY DONT BELIEVE IN TERRORISM, OPPRESSION, OR GENOCIDE”
“The fact that you think the people of #Palestine launched over 27 rockets to Israel is hilarious! ... Stop making stuff up b/c ur bored!”
