Shanaya Premjee

Overview

Shanaya Premjee has spread incitement, demonized Israel, endorsed anti-Israel agitators and engaged in anti-Israel activism.

As of June 2022, Premjee’s LinkedIn page said she was studying for a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston (UH), slated to graduate in 2024. 

Also, as of June 2022, Premjee wrote on her Twitter bio that she was involved in “political organizing.” 

As of June 2022, Premjee’s LinkedIn page said she was located in Houston, Texas. However, as of the same date, Premjee wrote on Facebook she was located in Irvine, California.

As of June 2022, Premjee went by the name “Shan” and used the handle “@shan_is_swag” on Twitter. 

Spreading Incitement

Premjee retweeted an April 14, 2022 tweet by former Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) spokesperson Diana Buttu that read: “Israel storming Al Aqsa and firing tear gas and stun grenades. #FreePalestine.” The tweet included a video showing clashes at the Al Aqsa mosque.



On May 10, 2021, Premjee tweeted: “so are you going to ignore the attack on one of the most holy mosques in islam during the holy month of ramadan?...”


Incitement surrounding Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah were leading factors in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists firing over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at Israeli population centers from May 10 to 21, 2021. In response to rocket attacks from Gaza, Israel launched “Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW),” striking military targets in the terrorist-controlled enclave.
On May 19, 2021, Premjee tweeted: “you bombed gaza on eid [Eid al-Fitr].... and attacked al-aqsa throughout ramadan when muslims fast from dusk to dawn..”

Eid al-Fitr, or “Feast of Breaking the Fast,”is a religious holiday in Islam marking the end of a month-long fasting period during the month of Ramadan.  

On May 21, 2021, Premjee tweeted: “12 hours after the called a ceasefire. right when they began to feel safe, they went to the mosque for friday prayers. the mosque. and israel attacked them again. our work isnt over, we need to fight for a free palestine.”

On May 21, 2021, clashes erupted outside of the Al-Aqsa compound after Palestinian worshippers threw rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli officers. Thousands of worshippers had gathered at the compound in solidarity with Gaza, following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.  

Demonizing Israel

On May 13, 2021, during “Operation Guardian of the Walls(OGW),”Premjee tweeted: “they [Israel] know it’s eid. they know it’s an invasion. they know innocent children are being murdered on a day they spent most of the year looking forward to. they simply don’t care.”

In May 2021, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists fired over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at major population centers in Israel. Israel responded by launching OGW, carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.

On May 12, 2021, Premjee tweeted, accusing Israel of “terrorism.”

Endorsing Anti-Israel Agitators

On May 25, 2021, Premjee tweeted: “looking at Reps [Representatives] Tlaib and Omar, can you honestly say that the events going on between Palestine and Israel would be talked about nearly as much within congress if they weren’t there??? this is why representation is so important.”

Rashida Tlaib was elected to the U.S. Congress in November 2018. She has advocated for a one-state solution, endorsed the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and called for reduced foreign aid to Israel. In July 2019, Tlaib co-sponsored a pro-BDS bill in the U.S. Congress introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Ilhan Omar was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2018. In February 2019, top Congressional leaders denounced Omar for tweeting anti-Semitic remarks.  

Anti-Israel Activism

On May 25, 2021, Premjee shared to Twitter a change.org petition titled: “Tell congress: Support H.R. 2590,” which she also signed.  

U.S. Representative Betty McCollum introduced Bill H.R. 2590 in April 2021to “ensure that United States taxpayer funds are not used by the Government of Israel to support the military detention of Palestinian children…or further annexation of Palestinian land in violation of international law.”

On May 16, 2021, Premjee shared to Twitter a video from a May 15, 2021 anti-Israel rally at the Houston City Hall, at which protestors chanted [00:00:06]: “be-ruh be-dam nifdik ya Aqsa [With spirit, with blood, we will redeem you, Aqsa].”


Protesters at the rally also chanted [00:00:02]: “Free, Free Palestine!” and [00:00:02]: “Allahu Akbar [God is Great]!”

One anti-Israel activist at the protest held [00:00:02] a sign with text that read: “IT IS NOT ‘CONFLICT’ IT IS GENOCIDE.” Another protester displayed a sign with text that said: “DEFEND Palestine DEFUND Israel.”

On May 15, 2021, Premjee shared to Twitter a video from the same rally and commented: “Solidarity from indigenous communities to palestinians during the Houston rally for Palestine From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”