Ramah Kudaimi

Overview

Ramah Kudaimi is the Director of Programs and Operations for U.S. Campaign to end the Occupation (ETO).

Kudaimi is a board member of the Washington Peace Center (WPC) and is a member of the Muslim American Women's Policy Forum (MAWPF).

Kudaimi worked for the anti-Israel group CODEPINK: Women for Peace and the Arab American Action Network (AAAN).

Kudaimi is a supporter of the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Kudaimi received a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University (Georgetown) and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University (NU), where she majored in Journalism.

Kudaimi has written articles for the anti-Israel hate site Mondoweiss. In one article dated February 12, 2013, she promoted Expose AIPAC, a campaign smearing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). On March 11, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted calling for people to register for a ETO briefing that accused the Jewish National Fund (JNF) of an “ongoing Nakba.”

In late July, 2013, Kudaimi attended a BDS training summer camp in New York, run by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).

Barred from Entering Israel

On July 17, 2016, Kudaimi was one of five ETO delegates who were denied entry into Israel and banned from entering Israel or the Palestinian territories for the next 10 years.

Israeli Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Minister, Gilad Erdan, explained the policy resulting in the bans as "a necessary step in light of the malicious intentions of delegitimization activists who act to spread lies and twist the reality in our region."

In response to her being barred from entry, Kudaimi accused Israel and the U.S. of being "plagued with institutionalized racism, Islamophobia, and militarism."

Promoting Incitement to Murder Jews

On September 5, 2015, in a Twitter conversation concerning Islam’s view of violent versus nonviolent resistance, Kudaimi tweeted — "yo so we should demand everyone engage in violent resistance to protect themselves like the Prophet." A Twitter user objected to Kudaimi’s comment. He tweeted — “@ramahkudaimi @keepitondadLyo if that's what you got out of Prophet Muhammad's(sa) life you've misunderstood his purpose & existence.”

On October 11, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "the real resistance is in streets of #Palestine fighting Zionist regime. the fake resistance is killing Syrians doing their own intifada."

In October 2015, there was an upsurge in violence across Israel incited by Palestinian political and religious leaders. The wave of stabbings, known as the “Knife Intifada,” was characterized by young Palestinians throughout the country stabbing and attempting to stab Israeli civilians.

On October 30, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) saying ".@mpac_national this coalition have anything to say about israel's continuing aggression towards al aqsa and palestinians in jerusalem?"

On November 19, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted — "hey @salampacker where is your statement condemning Israeli Jewish settler attacks on Al Aqsa? @mpac_national."

These two tweets propagated a libel aimed to incite violence against Israelis by falsely claiming that Israel intended to desecrate the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The fraudulent claim led directly to deadly anti-Semitic violence.

The day before Kudaimi posted the November 18, 2014 tweet, six people were murdered with a gun, axes and a butcher knife, during morning prayers in a West Jerusalem synagogue, known as the Har Nof Massacre.

Endorsing Holocaust Denial and Violent Anti-Jewish Rioting

On January 8, 2015, Kudaimi decried France’s decision to outlaw Holocaust denial and forbid violent protests against Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE).Kudaimi tweeted — "free speech not respected in france. holocaust denial is crime. muslim women not allowed to wear hijab. during summer gaza protests banned."

The French government’s decision followed a period of violent pro-Palestinian rioting that featured calls of "Death to Jews / Morts aux Juifs", other displays of blatant anti-Semitism and direct attacks on the French Jewish community. During one riot French Jews were forced to barricade themselves inside a synagogue from demonstrators chanting “Death to Jews.” Other synagogues, as well as Jewish markets, have also been attacked.

Calling for Israel’s Destruction

On July 16, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted — "f**k israel every day until the fall of the zionist regime."

On April 22, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "when you are asked to write down what the ultimate goal of your work is." The tweet incorporated a photo of a post-it note that read — “The fall of the Zionist regime.”

On the same day, Kudaimi tweeted — "this is how i keep myself motivated at work." That tweet featured another photo of the same post-it note that read — “The fall of the Zionist regime.”

On July 31, 2015, Kudami tweeted — "the Zionist regime must fall. it is as simple as that."

On August 23, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted — "the true resistance is fighting the zionist regime. the fake one is massacring syrians."

On January 16, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "one day the zionist regime will fall and that will be a glorious day."

Urging Platforms for Holocaust Deniers and Conspiracy Theorists

On May 15, 2013, Kudaimi tweeted to web community Al Jazeera Stream (AJStream) — "i assume @AJStream next time u have a show about the Holocaust u will invite Holocaust deniers? #AJStream."

On April 14, 2014, on Twitter, Kudaimi called "Islamophobic" those who objected to Muslims who said that Israel caused 9/11 or Muslims who denied the Holocaust.

Propagating Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories

On November 26, 2011, Kudaimi tweeted — "The boys who cry “Holocaust" http://shar.es/ocpdL #Iraq #Iran.” The tweet linked to an article of the same title, which recycled an anti-Semitic accusation that the Jews drag nations into wars for their own benefit. The article accused “Neocon hawks” such as William Kristol, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to push the U.S. into a needless war with Iran. The article alleged they dragged the U.S. to go to war in Iraq only for Israel’s benefit. The article accused Politicians in favor of the option of military action against Iran of raising the spectre of the Holocaust in order to silence opposition to their position.

On November 18, 2012, Kudaimi falsely claimed that Jews "bribe" black politicians to attend rallies supporting Israel. She tweeted — “...notice how pro-Israel rallies only co-sponsored by Jewish/Israeli groups, only person of color attending are bribed politicians.”

On December 10, 2011, Kudaimi tweeted — "now that Bibi Netanyahu has heard what all the candidates have to say, which one is he going to go home with? #iowadebate."

Propagating Anti-Israel Conspiracy Theories

On July 14, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — misleadingly — "is the zionist regime planning to nuke britain and the us?" The tweet linked to a CNN interview with Israeli MK Naftali Bennett who expressed his opposition — shared by many in America and Israel — to the controversial Iran Nuclear Deal. Bennett warned that he believed Iran would not honor the terms of the agreement, which might lead to Iran’s attaining a nuclear weapon and launching an attack on Britain or the United States.

Likening the Israeli Defense Forces to Al Qaeda and Islamic State

On February 18, 2015, Kudaimi likened American Jews serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to Islamist fundamentalists travelling to the Middle East to fight alongside Al Qaeda or ISIS. Kudaimi tweeted — "do Jewish Americans have community partnerships with US gov to stop misguided youth from joining terrorist IDF?"

On February 18, 2015, commenting on the U.S. administration's, Summit on Counter Violent Extremism (CVE) Kudaimi tweeted — "was terrorist IDF recruitment of Jewish American youth discussed at #CVESummit?"

On August 17, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "are Jewish Americans going to be asked to counter violent extremism in their community? is FBI going to arrest them?"

On April 6, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "is ADL at #CVESymposium to discuss how they can stop Jewish Americans from traveling to ME to join extremist groups like Israeli military?"

On December 24, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted — "someone point me to studies about how many Jewish Americans have joined terrorist groups vs Muslim Americans?"

Racism Towards White People

On May 25, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "white men are the problem."

On Jun 25, 2013, Kudaimi tweeted — "i think we should ban all white man from running in all elections for a period of time."

On August 8, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "white progressives are not our friends."

On February 6, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "thanks to all the white feminists reminding us how problematic you all are."

On October 28, 2014, Kudaimi called for a ban on Halloween. She tweeted — "white people can't handle halloween. it should be banned. #fatwa."

On May 22, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "the white man obsession with muslim women needs to end."

On February 28, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "so white ppl just laughing at racism is what i assume happening at oscars now."

On June 22, 2013, Kudaimi tweeted — " yes, i have witnessed white people dancing and it's frightening..."

On July 12, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — referring to former U.S. Governor of Louisiana and U.S. Congressman, Bobby Jindal — "brown dude so desperate to be white. just bleach your skin already."

On June 18, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "thinking we need some white orgs to take up cve…" A Twitter user replied: “@ramahkudaimi Collective blame for white people. Is that a thing?” Kudaimi answered — “white ppl cause all the problems of the world and get none if the blame apparently.”

On March 26, 2016, in a Twitter feed conversation mocking white people who are fond of dogs, a Twitter user wrote: "come to San Francisco, where people expect you to coo over their dogs while they sneer at your kids." Kudaimi responded — “ be happy your kids are protected from white ppl cooties.”

Belief in a "Syrian Zionist Conspiracy"

Kudaimi, who is of Syrian origin, believes that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria is complicit in an alleged "Zionist Conspiracy" with Israel.

On July 28, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted — "somehow my whole family ended up wearing shades of blue today. must be a syrian zionist conspiracy…"

On March 16, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted a photo of a crowd waving Syrian and Palestinian flags accompanied by text that read — "you see the palestinian flag? but no this is all a zionist conspiracy #syria."

On July 3, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "palestinians in gaza been under siege for 10 yrs. palestinians in yarmouk been under siege for 3 yrs. may zionist & assad regimes fall."

On May 9, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "this zionist conspiracy keeps getting better. also the resistance!"

Slandering Zionism as Racism

On July 10, 2012, Kudaimi falsely claimed that Zionism is Racism. She tweeted — "#ThreeWords Zionism is Racism."

In 1975, an anti-Israel resolution that branded Zionism as a form of racism was proposed to the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN). Although the resolution passed in 1975, it was repealed in 1991, by a much larger majority.

Branding Zionism as Islamophobia

On July 8, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "...because Zionism and Islamophobia go hand in hand."

Embracing Terrorist Rasmea Odeh

On March 11, 2015, in an interview with the anti-Israel hate site Electronic Intifada (EI) Kudaimi said that unrepentant terrorist-murderer Rasmea Odeh "should be honored."

Kudaimi wrote in an article for The Arab American News that Odeh had served as an inspiration to her. She wrote: "She is a woman who should be honored as an example of human resilience and the power of personal perseverance."

On January 27, 2016, Kudaimi tweeted — "i have known Rasmea 7 yrs and am so inspired by her."

Odeh was a key military operative [00:02:08]with the terrorist group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). In 1969, Odeh masterminded a PFLP bombing that killed two college students in a Jerusalem supermarket. Odeh also attempted to bomb the British consulate.

Odeh confessed, in a highly detailed account, the day following her arrest. In a 2004 documentary, one of Odeh’s co-conspirators directly implicated [00:10:53] Odeh as the mastermind.

In 1970, an Israeli court tried and convicted Odeh for her involvement in both bombings and sentenced her to life imprisonment. However, Odeh was released 10 years later, in a prisoner swap and emigrated to the United States.

On November 10, 2014, a Michigan federal jury convicted Odeh for immigration fraud because she failed to disclose her prior conviction and life sentence on her immigration application. On March 12, 2015, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

In 2017, after an appeal and a lengthy court battle, Odeh admitted to immigration fraud, was stripped of her U.S. citizenship, deported to Jordan and banned from re-entering the U.S.

Demonizing Moderate Muslims and Shutting Down Meaningful Dialogue

Kudaimi on numerous occasions has condemned Muslims who have participated in the Muslim Leadership Initiative (MLI) project, sponsored by the Shalom Hartman Institute (Hartman’s).

MLI "invites North American Muslim leaders to explore how Jews understand Judaism, Israel and North American Jewish identity through a Zionist lens," and to expand their understanding of Jewish “ethics, faith, and practice.” According to MLI founder Imam Abdullah Antepli, “MLI aims to put mainstream North American Jewry in conversation with their Muslim counterparts.”

On January 18, 2015, Kudaimi displayed her ignorance of the role Israel plays in Judaism and Jewish identity. A 2013, Pew study revealed that 69% of American Jews have a very or somewhat emotional attachment to Israel and caring for Israel is either essential or important to what being Jewish means to 87% of American Jews. Kudaimi tweeted — "why do muslim americans have to go to israel to deal with muslim-jewish relations in the US? #MuslimsAgainstMLI."

On June 30, 2014, Kudaimi tweeted — "i want to make a mean comment about those muslims who went on that zionist trip…"

On May 29, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "if you normalize with zionists, i take nothing you say about islamophobia seriously. and if you are a zionist, stfu."

Rejecting Mainstream Jewry and Promoting Lying Fringe Groups

On January 21, 2015, Kudaimi suggested that Muslim participants on MLI should meet with radical fringe Jewish groups instead of Jews representing the mainstream of the Jewish community in Israel and the U.S. Kudaimi tweeted — “#MLIpeople should meet groups like @jvplive and @IJAN_Network, Jewish groups committed to Palestinian rights and not fringe. #AJStream."

The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) claims to “struggle against Zionism” and accuses Israel of the “ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.” IJAN’s Facebook page from August 2016 includes a poster supporting terrorist Rasmea Odeh. Sara Kershner, IJAN’s founder, claimed at the 2014 SJP National Conference that Israel was committing “genocide” against Palestinians.

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), is an anti-Israel hate group that regards itself as the “Jewish wing of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement” and is an integral part of this anti-Israel coalition, serving as its “Jewish shield.” The organization invokes the Jewish ancestry of its leadership and members to provide cover for the invective it hurls at Israel, insisting that since they are Jews and anti-Israel, their anti-Zionism cannot be anti-Semitic.

Although other anti-Israel groups, like J Street and Americans for Peace Now, play in the national Jewish arena, JVP operates effectively under the Jewish communal radar, focusing on campus activism and alliances with non Jewish groups.

On June 25, 2014, Kudaimi again attempted to smear the Jewish mainstream and grant false credibility to the fringe by condemning a writer who referenced J Street rather than JVP. Kudaimi tweeted — ".@rabiasquared why would u reference anti-Palestinian J Street in ur piece instead of Jewish Voice for Peace when talking about US Jews?

Blaming Israel and Arab Leaders — Never Hamas — for Palestinian Deaths

On November 21, 2012, Kudaimi tweeted —- during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense (OPD) — "Happy Thanksgiving! While we're stuffing our selves with turkey, US gov is backing terrorist Zionist regime in its massacre of Palestinians!"

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 18, 2012, Kudaimi tweeted — ".@ASE so Israeli Jews ok with slaughtering Palestinians in Gaza as long as Israeli soldiers are not put in harm's way…"

On July 20, 2014, during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE), Kudaimi tweeted — "zionist regime slaughtering palestinians. arab leaders either helping or too busy slaughtering their own."

Israel commenced Operation Protective Edge (OPE) in July 2014, to stop rocket fire targeting Israeli civilians and to destroy Hamas attack tunnels.

Denying Israeli Democracy

On March 16, 2015, Kudaimi falsely suggested that Israel is not really a democratic state. She tweeted — "it is cute the zionist regime has elections."

On July 18, 2011, Kudaimi tweeted — "jewish democracy at work! Arab MK stripped of privileges for role in #flotilla http://bit.ly/oGZEwl #israel #onlydemocracy."

The tweet linked to an article about Haneen Zoabi — a member of Israel’s parliament — who joined so-called "peace activists" on board the Gaza “Freedom Flotilla,” in May 2010.

The Mavi Marmara was the lead ship in the “Freedom Flotilla” that attempted to sail to Gaza in May 2010. Activists aboard the ship agitated for violent confrontation and chanted a slogan glorifying the killing of Jews. When Israeli security forces boarded the Marmara, protesters attacked them with iron bars, metal chairs, knives, stun grenades and firearms, rocks and bottles. A United Nations report found that the flotilla agitators initiated an organized, violent confrontation with Israeli forces, and that the Marmara was carrying no humanitarian aid, only weaponry.

The Freedom Flotilla was organized expressly to breach the U.N.-approved joint Israeli and Egyptian naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The blockade was implemented to stop Hamas from acquiring more sophisticated rockets to fire at Israeli civilian populations.

On June 28, 2011, Kudaimi tweeted — "to those who insist there needs to be jewish state as safe haven: how do u explain #israel threatening lives of jews on #flotilla2?"

On April 3, 2011, Kudaimi claimed — fraudulently — that only Jews participate in Israeli democracy and tweeted — "#sincewebeinghonest #israel is a democracy only for jews."

On January 11, 2012, Kudaimi doubled down on her false claim and tweeted — "i admit that #Israel is the only democracy exclusively for Jews in the Middle East."

Israeli Arabs comprise 20% of Israel’s citizens with Arab political parties who are represented in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Calling Israeli Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shimon Peres a "War Criminal"

On June 14, 2012, Kudaimi called former Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace prize winner Shimon Peres, a "war criminal." She tweeted — “.@UncleRUSH u can help Muslim-Jewish reconciliation a lot more if u declined invitations to #Israel from war criminals like Peres #BDS”

Calling Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu a "Terrorist" and “War Criminal”

On March 12, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "just remember as Rasmea faces sentencing that the war criminal Netanyahu was not arrested while he was in the US last week."

On January 22, 2013, Kudaimi tweeted — "i love democracies that re elect war criminals to be their leaders #obama #netanyahu."

On February 17, 2015, Kudaimi tweeted — "someone at #CVESummit should ask why the terrorist Benjamin Netanyahu is going to be allowed into the US next month #CVESpeakout."

Code Pink

CODEPINK is a U.S.-based activist group founded in 2002 by Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin and other activists to oppose the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The group actively opposes “U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine” and has been criticized for maintaining close ties to Hamas. CODEPINK also promotes the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

CODEPINK has led a number of solidarity delegations to Gaza under Hamas protection. In March 2014, CODEPINK also helped organize an “International Women's Day” delegation to Gaza. However, upon arriving at the Cairo airport on March 3, 2014, Benjamin was detained by Egyptian authorities and refused entry into Gaza. She was then forcibly deported to Turkey.

CODEPINKBDS campaigns have targeted RE/MAX, Ahava, SodaStream, Hewlett Packard and Airbnb. On November 20, 2016, CODEPINK leader Ariel Gold disrupted a speech given by the actor Ashton Kutcher, an Airbnb investor who defended the company. Gold was escorted off the stage by security.

In September 2008, a number of CODEPINK leaders met with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a notorious anti-Semite and Holocaust denier. CODEPINK reportedly initiated its anti-Israel campaign followeding meeting. In November 2008, Jodie Evans and a CODEPINK contingent visited Iran at the personal invitation of Ahmadinejad.

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.

JVP

JVP was founded in Berkeley, California in 1996, as an activist group with an emphasis on the “Jewish tradition” of peace, social justice and human rights. The organization is currently led by Rebecca Vilkomerson and its board members include Israel critics Naomi Klein, Judith Butler, Noam Chomsky and Tony Kushner.

JVP, which generally employs civil disobedience tactics to disrupt pro-Israel speakers and events, consists of American Jews and non-Jewish “allies” highly critical of Israeli policies. A staunch supporter of the BDS movement, JVP claims to aim its campaigns at companies that either support the Israeli military (Hewlett-Packard) or are active in the West Bank (SodaStream).

Although several Jewish groups critical of Israeli policies, like J Street and Partners for a Progressive Israel, make efforts to operate within the mainstream American Jewish community, JVP functions outside. The group is often criticized for serving as a tokenized Jewish voice for the pro-Palestinian camp and is widely regarded as the BDS movement’s “Jewish wing.”

JVP denies the notion of “Jewish peoplehood” and has even gone so far as to refer to its own Ashkenazi (Jews who spent the Diaspora in European countries) leadership as “white supremacy inside of JVP.”

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has accused JVP of being “the largest and most influential Jewish anti-Zionist group in the United States,” and said the group “exploits Jewish culture and rituals to reassure its own supporters that opposition to Israel not only does not contradict, but is actually consistent with, Jewish value.”

The ADL also claimed that “JVP consistently co-sponsors rallies to oppose Israeli military policy that are marked by signs and slogans comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, demonizing Jews and voicing support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.”

According to the ADL website, JVP “uses its Jewish identity to shield the anti-Israel movement from allegations of anti-Semitism and provide it with a greater degree of legitimacy and credibility.”