Sophia Giakas Ayesh

Overview

Sophia Giakas Ayesh [Sophia Giakas] has spread hatred of Zionists, Israel and America.

Ayesh was an activist with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) during the 2020-2021 academic year. She is also a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

As of November 2022, Ayesh’s LinkedIn said that she was a “Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student” at Midwestern University (MWU) and that she expected to graduate in 2027.

Ayesh’s LinkedIn also said she worked as a Clinical Informatics Specialist for Oak Street Health from January 2022 to March 2022. Ayesh worked as a Mental Health Technician for United Health Services, Inc. from August 2021 to November 2021.

Also as of November 2022, Ayesh’s LinkedIn said that she graduated from UIUC with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience in 2020.

Ayesh’s LinkedIn said that she was located in the greater Chicago area.

As of November 2022, Ayesh used the handle “@bintsfogliatel” on Twitter.

Hatred of Zionists

On June 3, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “She prob did w her white supremacist Zionist [a**].”

Ayesh retweeted a May 31, 2021, tweet that said: “Progressive Zionists on Twitter be like ‘I'm socially liberal but genocidally conservative’.”

On September 23, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “What’s the difference between a Z*onist, a wh*te supremacist, a neo nazi, and a racist? Absolutely nothing.”

On November 13, 2020, Ayesh quoted a tweet featuring a video of then-US Senator Kamala Harris speaking about the importance of the US-Israel relationship. Ayesh wrote: “Zionist snake

.”

Ayesh retweeted a November 17, 2020 tweet from former SJP UIUC president Dunia Ghanimah that said: “One day we’ll be mature enough to have that conversation on why all zionists are inherently antisemitic.”

On November 26, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “PREACH 100%!! They’ve cultivated it in to a religious conflict to justify Palestinians as being ‘anti-Semitic’ for speaking out on genocide committed by Z*onist J*ws. They invalidate and silence Palestinian voices through this. The issue is rooted in white supremacy/colonialism):”

Hatred of Israel

Ayesh retweeted a June 29, 2021 tweet from anti-Israel agitator Remi Kanazi that said: “Zionism is bulldozing homes. Zionism is stealing land. Zionism is ethnically cleansing Palestinians. Zionism is torturing children. Zionism is teargassing demonstrators. Zionism is bombing Gaza. Zionism is enforcing siege. Zionism is and has always been the root of the problem.”

Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own national home, and the right to develop their national culture.

Ayesh retweeted a June 30, 2021 tweet from activist Steven Salaita that said: “Zionists murder our children, steal our land, bulldoze our homes, imprison our loved ones, poison our crops, uproot our olive trees, inhibit our movement, destroy our careers, and then accuse us of racism for not accepting it all with a bow and a smile.”

Ayesh retweeted a May 25, 2021 tweet by activist Rami Kablawi that said: “Israel is a fascist state.”

Ayesh retweeted a May 22, 2021 tweet from activist Remi Kanazi that said: “F**k Israel. Boycott the hell out of that worthless settler colonial state. Have a great weekend.”

On May 5, 2021, Ayesh tweeted: “isr*eli colonizers don’t fear God.”

On May 5, 2021, Ayesh tweeted: “... Z*onism is racism. It’s colonialism. It’s genocide.”

Ayesh retweeted a January 5, 2021 tweet that said: “Let me help everyone out with the ongoing Israel/vaccine debate: F**k Israel.”

On November 1, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “We don’t say isr*el in this house, only occupied Palestine. PERIOD.”

On October 30, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “If we all storm falasteen [Palestine], the Israeli occupation forces can’t stop us all

.”

“Israeli Occupation Forces” is a derogatory name used by anti-Israel activists to demonize Israel’s army in place of its official name the “Israel Defense Forces (IDF).”

On September 13, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “The way my blood boils when people recognize isr*el.”

On May 24, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “Eid Mubarak, everyone

Free Palestine

Israel is an apartheid state and ethnically cleanses Palestinians every day. Please, keep all marginalized and indigenous groups in your dua’a [prayer].

”

Hatred of America

On June 25, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “Normalize being able to openly state your hatred toward settler colonial states that commit genocide towards indigenous peoples.”

Ayesh continued in a reply to her tweet: “Here’s a list of a few states in mind:
- United States
- Israel
- Canada
- Australia
- South Africa”

On September 29, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “You’re right girl, idk why they act that way. I just pray the Middle East can become more unified rather than becoming allies with Isr*el and the US

so sad :(”

SJP Activism

On November 16, 2020, Ayesh tweeted: “Why can’t our university focus on actual anti-Semitism!? We all know this is directly attacking SJP & conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. Also where is the same energy with Islamophobia? I’m done.”

Ayesh’s tweet quoted a Chicago Tribune tweet that was reporting on an investigation into anti-Semitism at UIUC by the U.S. Department of Education. The investigation was started in response to a Title VI complaint launched on behalf of two Jewish students.

On July 6, 2020, SJP UIUC published a pro-BDS statement on Facebook that Ayesh signed about “Israeli annexation,” alleging: “This is a larger step in the Zionist settler colonial project of ethnically cleansing Palestinians.”

In the spring of 2020, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli sovereignty would be applied to certain areas of the West Bank. The annexation plan was canceled a day before the July 1, 2020 deadline.
Ayesh retweeted a May 8, 2021, tweet from SJP UIUC about an event two days later that read: “SJP will be holding a rally this Monday at 5 pm in front of Alma Mater in solidarity with the people of Sheikh Jarrah Make signs, bring your kufiyas or any other Palestinian attire and stand up for the indigenous people of Palestine

#stopjerusalemexpulsions.”

In May 2021, calls to “save” Sheikh Jarrah, a Jerusalem neighborhood at the center of a property dispute, led to violence against Israelis and were one of the leading factors in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists firing over 4,300 rockets from Gaza into Israel that month.

On May 10, 2021, SJP UIUC hosted an anti-Israel protest titled: “EMERGENCY rally for Sheikh Jarrah” where protesters chanted [00:03:25]: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” is a chant calling to dismantle the State of Israel. It has also been employed by Hamas leader Khaled Mashal to call for the replacement of Israel with an Islamic state.

BDS Activism

On September 23 2020, Ayesh spoke [00:48:03] in favor of a BDS resolution at a virtual Illinois Student Government (ISG) meeting. She spoke on behalf of SJP UIUC and the university’s Muslim Students Association (MSA) chapter.

During her speech, Ayesh said [00:49:15]: “If your argument against divestment is anti-Semitism, then you're saying that Judaism supports blatant racism and a genocidal regime in present day Palestine that is seeking to demolish all Palestinian land, rebuilding on top of it, while murdering innocent indigenous lives regardless of their religion, stealing all their culture and their freedom.”

Ayesh also commented [02:43:53] on the video writing: “Everyone please vote YES to help the university UPHOLD INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY. MINORITY RIGHTS.”

Ayesh commented [03:20:27] again, writing: “...Israel has nothing to do with Judaism and has everything to do with Zionism which is rooted in white supremacy. Just stop this tired argument.”

SJP UIUC Chapter Overview

SJP UIUC has a history of hate-filled anti-Israel protests on campus, including in April 2022 when someone threw a rock at Jewish students. SJP UIUC leads an annual anti-Israel divestment campaign where other anti-Semitic incidents have occurred.

In November 2020, SJP UIUC featured [pp. 3-8] prominently as a source of anti-Semitism on campus in a civil rights legal complaint filed against UIUC.

SJP UIUC speakers show support for terrorists and spread hatred of Zionists and Israel. Speakers use chants that call for Israel’s destruction and other chants for “intifada,” which is a call for violence.

SJP UIUC speakers also routinely demonize Zionism and in March 2022, one speaker claimed: “Zionism is the root cause of the social issues we see today.” SJP UIUC uses social media to spread the same sort of hatred outlined above.

SJP UIUC - Creating a Hostile Campus Environment 2015-2020

In October 2020, SJP UIUC was cited [pp. 3-8] in six different incidents in a civil rights legal complaint against UIUC documenting anti-Semitic incidents on campus as early as 2015. Jewish groups filed the complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The complaint said [p.12]: “UIUC has also failed to combat anti-Semitism as vigorously as it has combated other forms of bigotry on its campus prohibited by Title VI.”

One cited incident [p.4] was from 2019 when SJP UIUC members and supporters approached pro-Israel students. At least one SJP supporter spat on a pro-Israel student. Other Israel supporters were called “Nazi” and “white supremacist” and were told they had “dual loyalty” since they were “not a true citizen of the United States.”

SJP UIUC - Supporting Terrorists 2019-2020

On November 15, 2019, SJP UIUC held a protest where Sarah El Zayyat, then an SJP UIUC member, read [00:18:57] names from a list of “martyrs.” One of the names she read was Baha Abu al-Ata, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander in Gaza targeted by Israel in an airstrike who was reportedly planning terror attacks.

In November 2019, Israel launched “Operation Black Belt” to stop rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. The rockets were sent by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group on November 12-14, 2019, targeting Israel’s biggest civilian population centers.

At the rally, an activist held [00:00:46] an Israeli flag defaced with the text “GENO

CIDE” and red handprints meant to signify blood.

SJP UIUC protest was titled: “EMERGENCY RALLY: #GazaUnderAttack.” The Facebook event page said: “In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 32 Palestinians and injured over 100 in the last 24 hours. Come stand with us in solidarity against Israel's continual genocide and violation of Palestinian human rights.”

SJP UIUC - Hatred of Israel 2019-2020

On October 10, 2019, SJP UIUC wrote on Facebook: “Zionism is a political ideology that seeks to maintain an artificial Jewish majority in historic Palestine through the systematic occupation and dispossession of Palestinians’ land and livelihoods.”

The post was issued in defense of a presentation by SJP president Dunia Ghanimah that praised [slide 14] “Martyrdom” and honored terrorist leaders Leila Khaled and Yasser Arafat. Ghanimah, who was a Mulitcultural Advocate (MA) at UIUC, gave the presentation to other MAs, as well as UIUC Housing employees and Resident Advisors.

On October 16, 2019, several Illinois Student Government (ISG) senators authored a resolution defending the presentation.

On October 22, 2019, SJP UIUC posted on Facebook encouraging students to support the ISG’s resolution.

On October 24, 2019, SJP UIUC posted on Facebook in celebration of the resolution passing.

On January 16, 2020, SJP UIUC tweeted a thread protesting a training session on anti-Semitism that had been scheduled for UIUC Housing employees, Resident Advisors, and Multicultural Advocates. The session was organized by the non-profit Jewish United Fund of Chicago (JUF).

In the Twitter thread, SJP UIUC described the JUF as a “hate group.” SJP UIUC also accused JUF of the “brokering of Chicago Police Officers exchange with israeli Occupation Forces” that contributed to a “police culture of systematic violence against Black and Palestinian youth.”

“Israeli Occupation Forces,” or “IOF,” is a derogatory term used to demonize the Israeli army by anti-Israel activists. The term mocks the official name, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

SJP UIUC BDS Activities - 2019-2020

On February 5, 2020, former SJP UIUC presidents Buthaina Hattab and Dunia Ghanimah, as well as then president Ahlam Khatib, collectively authored an Illinois Student Government (ISG) anti-Israel divestment Resolution 03.61, titled: “Violations of Human Rights in University Investments.”

On February 12, 2020, a female Jewish student spoke [01:56:58] at an ISG meeting held to discuss the divestment resolution, to discuss an incident where someone held a sign that said [p. 7]: “F**K NAZIS SUPPORT PALESTINIANS.”

The female Jewish student said that she attended an ISG meeting during the fall semester that addressed a separate anti-Israel resolution. She said [01:56:58]: “When I walked into the room I was confronted by a huge sign held up by SJP that said ‘F**k Nazis’. They called us Nazis!”

Somone in the crowd then shouted [01:57:07] at the same female Jewish student: “They’re right!”

On February 15, 2020, UIUC Divest tweeted: “...UIUC Divest passes 20-9-7! ISG resolution 03.61 “Violation of Human Rights in University Investments” calls on UIUC to divest from corporations that engage in human rights abuses including Israeli war crimes in Palestine.

#UIUCDivest.”

On February 17, 2020, UIUC Divest tweeted a letter signed by SJP UIUC criticizing the ISG President Connor Josellis for vetoing the resolution one day earlier.

On February 19, 2020, Josellis said [00:37:31] that he vetoed the resolution because of “a level of hate that I have not previously seen firsthand and on behalf of the student government, I condemn any hateful rhetoric that led to students feeling unsafe in this environment.”

SJP UIUC - BDS Activities 2020-2021

On September 23, 2020, UIUC’s student government voted [03:31:41] during a live streamed ISG meeting in favor of a BDS resolution titled: “RES.04.22 Human Rights Violations in University Investments and Police Forces.” Former SJP UIUC presidents Sofia Sinnokrot and Buthaina Hattab authored the resolution.

SJP UIUC’s statement on the vote claimed that “both the BDS and the BLM [Black Lives Matter] movement resist the fundamental racism that Israeli and American entities need to survive.”

During the live stream, Sophia Giakas Ayesh, a former SJP UIUC activist, commented [02:36:58]: “Honestly bruh, Zionism is a political agenda that’s racist and supports genocide so bye.”

Zionism is defined as the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, Israel, and the right to develop their national culture

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.