Shadi Rahimi

Overview

Shadi Rahimi has expressed supportfor terrorists and demonized Israel on social media. She is also an avid supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

As of May 2019, Rahimi’s LinkedIn page said she was an Executive Producer at Al Jazeera+ (AJ+), which entailed: “Managing remote bureau of AJ+ in California, overseeing two award-winning documentary teams, Direct From With Dena Takruri and Untold America; two new documentary shows being launched this year, and the award-winning news comedy show, Newsbroke.”

AJ+ is a Qatari-funded propaganda media channel known for spreading misinformation and lies about Israel. According to Rahimi’s blog, she was awarded Al Jazeera's top honor in 2016.

In 2012, Rahimi was affiliated with Al-Awda — the Palestinian Right to Return Coalition and Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM USA).

As of May 2019, Rahimi’s LinkedIn page said that she received a master’s degree in Journalism from the University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley), in 2005. She received a bachelor’s degree in Media Studies from the University of San Francisco (USF) in 2002.

Supporting Terrorists

On November 20, 2015, AJ+ shared on Facebook a post written by Rahimi that glorified terrorist Leila Khaled. The post included a mural of Khaled holding an assault rifle, along with text that read: “Don’t forget the struggle.”

Leila Khaled is a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and participated in the hijacking of TWA Flight 840 in 1969 and El Al Flight 219 in 1970. As of 2017, Khaled was a member of PFLP's Political Bureau. Khaled has said that the second intifada failed because it was not violent enough, advocated [00:36:07] for the use of children in terror activities and compared Zionists to Nazis.

As of 2016, Leila Khaled remained a member of PFLP's Political Bureau. The PFLP claimed “credit” for the 2001 assassination of the Israeli tourism minister, and the 2014 Har Nof Massacre — where six people were murdered during morning prayers in a Jerusalem synagogue.

Rahimi quoted Khaled “regarding resistance,” saying: “Resistance means everything. Beginning with the word ‘no’ and ending with holding arms. And in between there are many ways, [including] a political struggle, a popular struggle. They want us to accept them as they are: racist, discriminating, an apartheid regime in Israel…”

On May 14, 2012, Rahimi tweeted: “Stand with Palestinian political prisoners in Silent Vigil tomorrow San Francisco Union Square 333 Post St @7pm wear brown or black #nakba.” The tweet referred to “Palestinian political prisoners” who ended their hunger strike following Israeli concessions.

The prisoners’ hunger strike included several convicted terrorists such as Tha'er Halahleh and Bilal Diab — both members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

Also among the 2000 Palestinian hunger strikers was Khader Adnan

Khader Adnan was a senior member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization. A 2007 YouTube video showed Adnan praising and encouraging suicide bombings: "Who among you will carry the next explosive belt? Who among you will fire the next bullets? Who among you will have his body parts blown all over?” In May 2023, Adnan died in prison after refusing medical treatment during a hunger strike.

Another hunger striker was Palestinian terrorist, Samer Issawi.

Samer Issawi is a member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) who received a 26-year prison sentence in 2002. During the second intifada, Issawi manufactured and distributed pipe bombs and fired indiscriminately on Israeli civilian vehicles. In December 2013, Issawi called for the kidnapping of Israelis, saying: “The [Palestinian] prisoners' release will be brought about by kidnapping and [prisoner] exchanges. Nothing will happen without that.”

On June 13, 2012, Rahimi tweeted: “in solidarity with #palestine hunger strikers #prison #poc in berlin germany.” Rahmis tweet featured a link to a photo that showed support for Mahmoud Sarsak, who was greeted by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants in Gaza upon his released from prison on July 10, 2012.

The militants reportedly “fired rifles in the air,” and PIJ leader Nafez Azzam said Sarsak was “one of our noble members.”

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is a terror group “whose objective is the destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of a sovereign, Islamic Palestinian state.” PIJ is backed by Iran and has killed dozens of Israelis in suicide bombings and other attacks.

Spreading Hatred of Israel

On November 4, 2015, Rahimi tweeted: “Slingshots & rocks. A protest demanding Israel return bodies of alleged attackers ended in these scenes, Hebron.”

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 August 1, 2014, during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE) in Gaza, Rahimi tweeted: “‘A war without objectives cannot be won. Unless, of course, the objective is war.’”

The tweet linked to an AJ+ video by Dena Takruri who implied that Israel initiated OPE under false pretenses and accused Israel of committing atrocities against civilians in Gaza.

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

On July 20, 2014, during OPE, Rahimi attended an anti-Israel demonstration in San Francisco and live-tweeted from the protest. First, Rahimi tweeted: “Burning of #Israel flag after reading of names of dead in #gaza. now #sanfrancisco #sf4gaza.”

Rahimi also tweeted a photo of a demonstrator holding a placard with a graphic of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu with an equals sign, and a Swastika.

Earlier in the dayy, Rahimi had tweeted: “‘Stop doing to us what Hitler did to you.’ Sign at #sanfrancisco #gaza protest now #israel #sf4gaza”

On July 16, 2014, Rahimi tweeted: “At this point #Israel's diplomacy appears to be: ‘Get your cut throat off my knife.’”

On November 22, 2012, Rahimi tweeted: “Ad billboard in #Oakland #CA metro station calls #Israel a ‘wolf in sheep's clothing’ since 1948. #Gaza.”

The tweet linked to a photo of a wolf wearing a sheepskin, with the caption “Israel, You’re not fooling anyone. All wolf since 1948.”

On January 11, 2012, Rahimi tweeted: “Threat of war #Iran benefits all gov's 1)'New' boogieman for US/Israel 2) Distraction within Iran from its human rights abuses. Fear=control.”

On October 23, 2009, Rahimi tweeted regarding Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: “olmert olmert u can't hide we charge u w genocide.”

Supporting BDS

On August 17, 2014, Rahimi live-tweeted from a BDS rally in Oakland, CA: “Now: #BDS protesters back at #Oakland port to block #Israel ship Zim from docking #gaza #BlockTheBoat @BlockTheBoat.”

A coalition of various anti-Israel organizations launched the “Block the Boat” campaign to prevent a Zim container ship from unloading its cargo of Israeli trade items at the Port of Oakland.

On July 29, 2014, Rahimi tweeted: “Amazing app... @BuycottApp helps you learn about the social impact of the products you buy. #BDS.”

On November 25, 2012, Rahimi tweeted: “Never thought I'd say it, but #boycott #StevieWonder. Performing at gala of Friends of #Israel Defense Force?! #Gaza.”

On August 28, 2012, Rahimi tweeted: “#divest4justice best website out there with all the resources you need to BDS.”

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.