Najla Nassar

Overview

Najla Nassar [Najla Khoury Nassar] helped lead a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) rally at Swarthmore College (Swarthmore) as an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in 2018. Nassar has also demonized Israel on Facebook.

As of January 2020, Nassar’s LinkedIn said she was studying for a bachelor’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore from “2017-2021.” Her LinkedIn also said that she was a “Writing Associate” at Swarthmore since September 2018.

As of January 2020, Nassar used the name “Najla Khoury Nassar” on Facebook.

Boycotting Sabra Hummus

In March 2018, Swarthmore SJP published a petition calling for an end to the sale of Sabra products on campus. Sabra Hummus is partially owned by an Israeli company, the Strauss Group.

The petition accused Sabra of supporting Israeli forces who allegedly commit “countless human rights violations,” including “arbitrary murders, assaults, incarcerations, evictions, and arrests of children.”

On May 2, 2018, Nassar spoke [00:01:07] at a Swarthmore SJP rally held to promote the Sabra boycott. In her speech, she claimed [00:01:20] that “40 unarmed palestinian demonstrators have been killed by the Israeli Defense Forces” while taking part in the March of Return.

Most of the Gazans who died between March 30 and April 6, 2018, were identified as terror operatives who were killed while carrying out terrorist attacks, rioting against IDF forces or attempting to breach the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Nassar also accused [00:01:37] Israelis troops of carrying out a “massacre” and declared [00:01:45] “Now more than ever it is vital that our institution be held accountable for its complicity in this horrific reality.”

She then declared [00:03:27]: “As long as the college continues to purchase Sabra products it continues to endorse the murders of nonviolent protestors in Gaza.”

Nassar indicated on Facebook that she “went” to an April 4, 2018 Swarthmore SJP rally held to express support for SJP members slated to meet with Swarthmore President Valerie Smith to push the Sabra boycott.

On April 11, 2018, Swarthmore SJP reportedly held a rally at Swarthmore to promote the Sabra boycott, during which they held a moment of silence for protesters who died in the Great March of Return.

Approximately 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border on March 30, 2018 as part of the “March of Return,” which was organized and funded by Hamas as a campaign of violent protests to spotlight the demand of Palestinians to “return” to Israel.

On April 30, 2018, President Smith announced that Swarthmore would continue to sell Sabra products on campus and begin selling an alternative brand of hummus.

Swarthmore SJP Divestment Campaign

Nassar indicated on Facebook that she “attended” Swarthmore SJP’s October 9, 2018,launch of its BDS campaign.

On October 9, 2018, Swarthmore SJP held a rally to launch a BDS resolution that called on Swarthmore to divest from a number of companies doing business with Israel.

On October 24, 2018, Swarthmore student newspaper “Voices” published a statement by Swarthmore SJP. The statement accused seven companies of being engaged in the “murder” of Palestinian civilians” and “the indiscriminate targeting of civilians.”

On December 3, 2018, Swarthmore SJP released its BDS campaign video, titled: “Why Divest from Apartheid?”

Nassar also indicated that she “went” to Swarthmore SJP’s December 12, 2018 rally titled: “1K Strong Against Apartheid - Now We Rally & Deliver!”

On December 12, 2018, Swarthmore SJP videotaped a rally where activists reportedly delivered a petition to President Smith, urging Swarthmore to “divest from Israeli apartheid.”

In the video, Swarthmore SJP activist William Marchese also suggested [00:12:07] that Swarthmore was under “intense pressure from right-wing alumni who want to stand with apartheid.”

In February 2019, Swarthmore SJP proposed their BDS resolution to Swarthmore’s Student Government Organization (SGO). On February 10, 2019, the BDS resolution failed to pass.

On February 11, 2019, Swarthmore SJP activist Sidney Covitz co-launched a chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) at Swarthmore with the reported intention of supporting “SJP’s BDS campaign in any way.”

On February 24, 2019, the SGO Executive Board and Senate reportedly hosted an open meeting on the failed BDS resolution. At the open meeting, 40 SJP members and the newly-formed JVP chapter advocated for BDS.

On March 3, 2019, the SGO held another meeting inviting student groups to again discuss the BDS resolution. SGO’s President Gilbert Orbea motioned to hold a vote among members on whether to make the meeting closed, that succeeded, after which SGO held a secret vote. At the secret vote, the SGO voted in support of the divestment resolution.

On March 12, 2019, President Smith released a statement to Swarthmore’s website in which she declined to change Swarthmore’s investment policies in accordance with the BDS resolution.

Demonizing Israel

On March 30, 2019, Nassar posted to Facebook a series of maps titled “Palestinian Loss of Land 1947-Present” dubbed the “Map that Lies.”

The maps claim that lands once controlled by Britain, Egypt and Jordan as autonomous “Palestinian land” were purportedly stolen by Israel. In February 2016, publisher McGraw-Hill Education recalled copies of a college textbook containing the fraudulent maps. In October 2015, American cable news network MSNBC apologized for airing a similar series of maps and retracted them.

Swarthmore SJP Activism

Nassar indicated on Facebook that she “went” to Swarthmore SJP’s May 10, 2018, “Vigil to Tear Down the Wall.”

The event’s Facebook description invited attendees to dismantle a “mock Apartheid Wall” that Swarthmore SJP had constructed as a “symbolic act of resistance.”

The event’s Facebook description also declared: “In the light of the ongoing massacre by the IDF in Gaza, and just days before the anniversary of the Nakba, we will honor the lives of those fallen in the struggle for Palestinian liberation.”

Nassar indicated on Facebook that she “went” to Swarthmore SJP’s February 18, 2018 “Vigil to #FreetheTamimis.”

The event’s Facebook description invited students to “a vigil on this global day of action to #FreetheTamimis and all Palestinian political prisoners” and featured a graphic of Ahed Tamimi with the caption: “Free Ahed.”

On February 13, 2018, Ahed Tamimi and her mother Nariman Tamimi were detained after Nariman filmed Ahed punching and kicking Israeli soldiers. Ahed has a long history of physically attacking Israeli soldiers.

Nariman Tamimi, Ahed Tamimi’s mother, is a prolific promoter of terror. In 2015, she shared a Facebook post providing graphic instructions on where to aim a knife to kill an Israeli. In 2016, Nariman shared her approval of a teenage Palestinian terrorist who killed a 13-year-old Israeli girl sleeping in her bed.

Swarthmore SJP

Swarthmore SJP was formerly known as Swarthmore Students for Peace and Justice in Palestine (Swarthmore SPJP) from 2010-2017.

Swarthmore SJP - Expressing Support for Terrorists

On March 26, 2019, Swarthmore SJP posted on Facebook in honor of Women’s History Month, celebrating “the resistance and resilience” of Khalida Jarrar as “a Palestinian feminist.”

Khalida Jarrar is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror organization. In 2017, Israel arrested Jarrar “on suspicion of involvement with terrorist activities.” In 2015, an Israeli military court sentenced Jarrar to 15 months in prison for calling to kidnap Israeli soldiers.

On March 24, 2019, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook celebrating Leila Khaled in honor of Women’s History Month.

Khaled, a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization, participated in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 in 1969 and El Al Flight 219 in 1970.

On May 6, 2017, Swarthmore SPJP posted a video to Facebook of SPJP members taking part in the “Saltwater Challenge.”

The “Saltwater Challenge” was held in solidarity with over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners hunger-striking in Israeli prisons — most of whom were convicted for acts of terrorism.

The strike was initiated by Marwan Barghouti, who was serving five consecutive life sentences for his role in suicide bombings and shooting attacks during the second intifada. Barghouti led the Palestinian Authority (PA) terrorist Tanzim force and founded the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Barghouti also financed the guitar-case bomb used in the Sbarro Cafe massacre, where 15 civilians were killed and 130 injured.

Swarthmore SJP - Promoting Anti-Israel Agitators

On March 28, 2019, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook celebrating Manal Tamimi in honor of Women’s History Month.

Manal Tamimi has promoted anti-Semitic blood libels as well as terror support.

On September 21, 2018, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook promoting Dareen Tatour. In October 2015, Tatour was placed under house arrest for incitement to violence and for support of a terrorist organization on social media.

On March 19, 2018, Swarthmore SJP hosted anti-Israel activist David Sheen.

David Sheen, a Canadian-Israeli anti-Israel activist and filmmaker, works to portray Israel as an extremist racist state. To this end, Sheen has been accused of purposefully mistranslating Hebrew articles and advertisements to make Israelis appear racist.

Swarthmore SJP - Supporting Violent Protesters

On March 30, 2019, Swarthmore SJP held a “Vigil for Gaza's Great March of Return.” The event’s Facebook description called to “Honor the lives of those murdered by Israeli military forces” on the “1-year anniversary of the ongoing Great March of Return, a series of massive nonviolent demonstrations.”

On March 30, 2018, some 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border to take part in “Land Day Protests” or the “March of Return.” The March of Return was organized and funded by Hamas as a campaign of violent protests along Israel’s border to spotlight the demand of Palestinians to “return” to Israel.

On May 17, 2018, Swarthmore SJP posted to Facebook: “for the past month and a half - and increasingly in the past couple of days - the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been massacring Palestinians in Gaza who are nonviolently protesting for their rights. Over 100 demonstrators have been killed and thousands injured, among them a number of children, most by trained snipers with explicit orders to kill.”

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

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.

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.