Obi Wabara

Overview

Obi Wabara has expressed support for terrorists and terror financiers, glorified anti-Israel agitators and has spread hatred of Israel on social media.

Wabara was an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Houston (UH) in 2017 and 2018.

Wabara attended the 2018 National SJP Conference.

The 2018 National SJP conference was held on November 16-18, 2018 at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The conference was themed “Radical Hope: Resistance in the Face of Adversity.” The conference website stated: “[t]he reason we can have hope is that Zionism...can be destroyed.”

As of January 2019, Wabara’s Facebook page said he was a Ph.D. student at Rice University (Rice), in Houston, Texas. His Facebook page also said he was a student at the University of Texas Austin (UTA) where he majored in History, from “Aug 2015 to May 19, 2018.”

Wabara’s Facebook page also said he was a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) from “Aug 2014 to May 2015.”

Expressing Support for Terrorists

Wabara retweeted a November 11, 2018 tweet that read: “This woman of Nigerian descent was the first female Palestinian militant jailed in Israel - Face2Face Africa.” The tweet linked to an article about Fatima Bernawi.

Fatima Bernawi [Fatima Mohammed Bernawi] was a terrorist with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). She was responsible for a 1967 attempted bombing of a crowded Jerusalem movie theater. Bernawi was sentenced to life in prison but was released after 10 years.

Wabara retweeted a July 10, 2018 tweet by US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) that quoted Ghassan Kanafani: “‘It is not enough to hate and believe in the past to make a #revolution. Hatred and belief in the past are sufficient prods for the rebellion phase. We must love and be future-oriented if we wish to carry out the revolution.’ - #GhassanKanafani #RestInPower.”

Kanafani was a leading member and spokesperson for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) during the terrorist organization’s 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 and wounded 80 others.

Wabara retweeted a July 8, 2018 tweet by SJP at UH that quoted Ghassan Kanafani: “‘For us, to liberate our country is as essential as life itself.’ On the 46th anniversary of his assassination, we recognize Ghassan Kanafani, a Palestinian revolutionary who spent his lifetime fighting for Palestinian liberation.May he rest in eternal glory

”

Expressing Support for Terror Financiers

Wabara retweeted a November 24, 2018 tweet by Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) Austin, Texas (PSCATX) that read: “Statement in solidarity with the Holy Land Five, 10 years after their unjust imprisonment. We demand their freedom, just as we demand the release of all political prisoners stolen from their families from the US to Palestine #FreeTheHLF5 #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners #10YearsTooLong”

The HL5 were five individuals associated with the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) indicted for funnelling funds to Hamas in the guise of humanitarian aid.

The men were were all convicted and sentenced in 2009 to federal prison terms ranging from 15 to 65 years.

Wabara retweeted another November 24, 2018, tweet by PYM USA, that read: “10 years ago today, 5 Palestinian-Americans who were pillars of their communities were convicted on false charges of ‘providing material support for terrorism’ https://bit.ly/2OVtahj #FreeTheHLF5 #10YearsTooLong #FreePalestine #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners.”

Glorifying Anti-Israel Agitators

Wabara retweeted a January 10, 2019, tweet posted by anti-Israel advocate Steven Salaita, that read: “The recent experiences of Angela Davis and Marc Lamont Hill illustrate that Zionism isn't merely an affront to Palestinians; it is an impediment to Black liberation, to Native decolonization, and to justice for all oppressed peoples around the world.”

In November 2018, Marc Lamont Hill was fired from his position as a contributor to CNN (Cable News Network) following controversial comments he made during a meeting held at the United Nations for an “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.”

During the meeting, Hill reportedly whitewashed Palestinian violence and accused Israel of “state violence and ethnic cleansing.” He also called for a “free Palestine from the river to the sea.”

In September 2018, during a U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) conference, Hill insinuated [00:31:01] that Israel poisons Palestinian water and seemingly approved [00:30:34] of violence against Israelis.

Wabara retweeted a December 3, 2018 tweet that read: “By firing @marclamonthill, @CNN has chosen to stand with a Zionist Israel that murders and terrorizes the Palestinian people. They have shown the only believe in free speech for some. And they have demonstrated their racism towards Black men who they cannot completely control.”

Wabara retweeted a July 29, 2018 tweet that read: “Welcome home Ahed Tamimi!” The tweet featured a photo of Ahed Tamimi eating ice cream.

Ahed Tamimi has a long history of physically attacking Israeli soldiers. Tamimi is the daughter of Bassem Tamimi, who is known for exploiting young children as political props in staged confrontations with Israeli soldiers.

On July 14, 2018, Wabara tweeted: “The enemy of Palestinian popular struggle for liberation is the zionist entity, to which the PA is complacent #OnePeopleOneStruggle #OneEnemy @marclamonthill @Lamis_Deek @Remroum @ShaunKing @defendourhoodz @4noura @ramzybaroud @bellahadid @HatemBazian @stevesalaita.”

Spreading Hatred of Israel

Wabara retweeted an August 8, 2018 tweet by SJP activist Lina Assi, that read: “Israel has suffocated Gaza with a crippling blockade – land, air, and sea. unemployment rates, limited electricity, more than half the population suffering with mental health. Every bombing campaign they conduct is just another act of the ongoing genocide.”

Wabara retweeted a July 24, 2018 tweet that read: “It’s unbelievable that @AJEnglish would even host this debate. It perpetuates this idea that even though israel shoots to kill they’re somehow able to escape blame. There is no debate on this topic. Israel created the Gaza Strip prison and is committing a slow genocide.”

The tweet was in response to a tweet by Al Jazeera English that read: “Gaza Killings: Who is to blame? http://aje.io/xeep3 via @AJHeadtoHead.”

In May 2018, terror organization Hamas instigated the “March of Return.” Thousands of violent rioters attempted numerous breaches of Israel’s border fence with Gaza, seeking to harm Jews across the border. Media reports confirmed [00:00:20] protesters’ breaches and attempted breaches of the fence, some by armed Palestinians. On May 15, 2018, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said the Gaza protests were only a pretext of “peaceful resistance.”

SJP Activism

Wabara was part of an SJP UH group and represented SJP UH at the 2018 United We Dream (UWD) National Congress. Wabara spoke at the session, led by SJP activists: “Palestine Without Borders,” along with SJP UH activists Mohamed Fattouh, Yusuf Ghanam and Noreen Saqer.

On October 5, 2018, Wabara was featured in a photo in a United We Dream tweet that read: “Discussing Palestine Without Borders at #UWDCongress!”

Also on October 5, 2018, Wabara and fellow SJP UH activists were featured in a photo on Twitter in front of a slide on a screen with the heading: “The Colonization of Palestine” as well as a series of misleading maps, known as 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.

On December 10, 2017, Wabara was featured in an Instagram post by fellow SJP activist, Omar Hussein, from the SJP UH event: “Emergency Rally: Jerusalem is the Capital of Palestine.”

The Instagram post included videos and photos, in which Wabara appears, at the rally. One activist held a banner that read: “Long live the Intifada.”

On October 17, 2017, Wabara posed for a photo that was featured in an SJP UH tweet of activists posing with boards labeled Trump, Netanyahu and Cruz.

SJP UH tweeted: “Trump? Cruz? Netanyahu? Take your pick! Swing by PGH to #Pie4Palestine for only $3! All proceeds go to @ThePCRF ‘s Gaza Pediatric Health Care Fund! #Coogs4Palestine.”

The Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) is a nonprofit organization reportedly set up to “provide urgent humanitarian care for Gaza’s children.” It has been financially linked with the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), which was shut down by the U.S. government for funneling donations to a terrorist organization.

On October 16, 2018, Wabara tweeted: “When else will you get to pie a Rice student at UH and not get your ass beat? #coogs4palestine #pie4palestine.” The tweet featured a flier that promoted the SJP UH even: “PIE FOR PALESTINE.”

Attending the 2018 National SJP Conference

On November 19, 2018, Wabara appeared in a group photo taken during the 2018 National SJP Conference.

2018 National SJP - Celebrating Violence

During the 2018 National SJP conference, anti-Israel activist Mohammed Nabulsi led the attendees in the chant [00:00:52] “Long Live the Intifada! Intifada! Intifada!”

Since the early 2000’s, the term “intifada” has carried the connotation of violence. The second intifada was characterized by more than 120 suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians on buses and in cafes.

Anti-Israel activist Omar Zahzah also reportedly [00:00:07] led National SJP attendees in chanting, in Arabic, “With our bodies and our blood, we will free Palestine.”

As of November 2018, the 2018 National SJP website glorified “radical hope and upfront defiance of Zionism,” citing as examples the “early revolts through the Intifadas to the Great Return March.”

The Great Return March of 2018 was organized and funded by the terror group Hamas as a campaign of violent protests along Israel’s border to spotlight the demand of Palestinians to “return” to Israel.

Tens of thousands of rioters gathered on Israel’s Gaza border, attempting numerous breaches of Israel’s border fence, with leaders andparticipants declaring their intention to harm Jews.

National SJP originally promoted a conference logo featuring a keffiyeh-wearing bear, looking toward a kite bearing the colors of the Palestinian flag.

On October 27, 2018, National SJP said the kite signified “the power in the Gaza March of Return.”

Since March 2018, March of Return participants and Hamas’s “Kite Unit” have sent hundreds of kites bearing incendiary devices and IEDs (improvised explosive devices) across the border into Israel to terrorize Israelis. The kites are often marked with swastikas.

By the time National SJP produced its 2018 conference logo highlighting the kites in October 2018, Gazan terror kites and balloons had ignited more than 1,300 fires in Israel, over seven months.

2018 National SJP - Undermining U.S. Support for Israel

On November 18, 2018, the US Palestine Community Network (USPCN) posted on Facebook the 2018 National SJP keynote speech by Hatem Abudayyeh, USPCN’s co-founder.

Abudayyeh has supported [00:08:45] convicted terrorists, praised terror organizations, called for Israel’s destruction and is an activist in theBoycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

In his 2018 National SJP Keynote, Abudayyeh said [00:53:01] that the “specific role” of Palestinian and Arab students was to organize [00:53:42] in order to weaken “Zionist Israel” and force [00:54:23] the U.S. to “no longer provide it with diplomatic, political, financial and military cover and support.”

Abudayyeh predicted [00:55:37] that once U.S. support to Israel ends, National SJP attendees would return to Palestine as “conquering heroes,” end [00:54:38] the “occupation and colonization of all Arab lands including the Golan Heights” and replace “Zionist Israel” with a Palestinian state.

2018 National SJP - Whitewashing Terror Organizations

During his keynote speech, Abudayyeh also painted [00:14:01] terrorist organizations as “liberation movements” and “resistance organizations,” stating [00:14:21] “what we also know is that the majority of the resistance organizations in Palestine are on the U.S. state department list of foreign terrorist organizations.”

Abudayyeh also celebrated [00:52:00] that all of the “armed resistance” organizations in Gaza are part [00:52:14] of a “unified resistance in Gaza, that includes all of the resistance organizations, working together under a unified military command.”

2018 National SJP - Defending Terrorist Rasmea Odeh

During his keynote speech, Abudayyeh claimed [00:08:28] that pro-Israel organizations “go after students like you,” adding [00:08:20] “just like they went after my friend and colleague, Rasmea Odeh.”

Odeh was a key military operative with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization. In 1969, she masterminded a PFLP supermarket bombing that killed two college students. She also attempted to bomb the British consulate in Jerusalem. Odeh later moved to the United States but was deported to Jordan in 2017 for immigration fraud.

Abudayyeh added that he was asked [00:08:45] to talk about Odeh’s case, and praised SJP and SDS students who organized [00:09:15] “absolutely valuable” events on behalf [00:9:11] of Odeh, “as she was fighting to stay in the U.S.”

2018 National SJP - Demonizing Israel and Jews

During his keynote speech, Abudayyeh defended [00:27:25] the “Irvine 11” — eleven Muslim Student Union (MSA) members who were arrested in 2010 for repeatedly shouting down former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren during an address at the University of California at Irvine (UC Irvine).

Abudayyeh referred [00:27:37] to Oren as a “racist fascist speaker, representative of a racist, fascist country.”

Abudayyeh went on to claim [00:29:48] that “today, even in the United States, Israel is finally being seen as the criminal, apartheid, racist state that it is.”

Abudayyeh also called for increased action in the face of President U.S. Donald Trump, and referred [00:48:41] to Jared Kushner, Trump’s Jewish son-in-law and senior advisor, as “that pig son-in-law of his.”

2018 National SJP - Excluding Students

The 2018 National SJP Conference welcomed only students who were verified and vouched for by an SJP (or otherwise named campus Palestine solidarity group). Media requests needed to be “approved by the NSJP press team” prior to the conference.

A November 7, 2018 Columbus Jewish News article reported that the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on UCLA to cancel the 2018 NSJP conference, stating that a “public university should not allow any group to implement a litmus test for event participation on their campus.”

On November 12, 2018, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block published an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times that criticized National SJP’s exclusion of members of pro-Israel student groups.

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.