Subrein Damanhoury

Overview

Subrein Damanhoury served as the media liaison for an illegal anti-Israel encampment at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in May 2024. She also justified Hamas terrorist war crimes in October 2023.

Damanhoury has also spread anti-Semitism, shown support for terrorists and promoted incitement. She also called for Israel’s destruction and spread hatred of Zionists.

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

As of May 2024, Damanhoury was reportedly a member of the San Diego chapter of a pro-terror activist group Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM). She has been an activist [00:01:53] with PYM since at least 2021.

In 2019, Damanhoury was a member of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) chapter at San Diego State University (SDSU) (SDSU MSA).

As of July 2024, Damanhoury was listed online as a “Program & Communications Coordinator” at Majdal: Arab Community Center of San Diego.

As of the same date, Damanhoury listed as having graduated from SDSU with an “Interdisciplinary degree in Arabic, Political Science, and History with a focus in the Middle East.”

May 2024 - Participating in an Anti-Israel Encampment at UCSD

In May 2024, Damanhoury reportedly served as a media liaison for the anti-Israel encampment at UCSD.

The encampment was one of over 140 pro-Hamas and anti-Israel college encampments set up in North America, and over 20 more globally, in the spring of 2024. The first began on April 17, 2024, at Columbia University. The encampments were unofficially known as the “student intifada,” borrowing a term associated with terrorist violence.

Protesters harassed Jewish students, blocked Jews from campus facilities and shouted anti-Semitic slogans. They occupied campus grounds, in many cases illegally, caused property damage, violently took over buildings, celebrated terrorism and promoted the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Activists set up encampments to oppose Israel’s right to wage war against the Hamas terror group following October 7, 2023, when Hamas murdered approximately 1,200 people, including 32 American and 8 Canadian citizens. Hamas also kidnapped 252 people, including 11 Americans and the bodies of 2 murdered Canadians. As of May 26, 2024, 125 hostages remained in Hamas captivity.

For more information on the October 7, 2023 terror attacks, see the Canary Mission page on Hamas.

Justifying Hamas Terrorist War Crimes

Damanhoury retweeted an October 7, 2023 tweet that showed a video of Israelis being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and taken to Gaza. The tweet said: “partying in the desert outside a sieged open air prison…and I’m supposed to feel bad for her??? she went to party NEXT TO GAZA?? AND SHES THE VICTIM HERE???”

Referring to Gaza as an "open-air prison" is a way to delegitimize the United Nations-approved [pp. 39–41] joint Israeli-Egyptian blockade of the Gaza Strip imposed in 2011 to prevent Hamas from acquiring more sophisticated rockets.

On Saturday, October 7, 2023, approximately 2,900 heavily armed Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s border with Gaza. They executed numerous war crimes on civilians, including mass murder, beheadings of children, rape of men and women, torture, kidnappings and mutilation. Hamas broadcast videos of their butchery on social media, often to victims’ accounts for families to see. Israel retaliated with a war called “Swords of Iron.” As of November 10, 2023, approximately 1,200 Israelis, the vast majority of them civilians, were murdered during the attacks. Hamas kidnapped 242 Israelis, including at least 30 children. At least 3,500 people were wounded, many severely.

A terrorist detained by Israel admitted he raped an Israeli woman when he broke into a kibbutz house during the October 7, 2023 attack. In March 2024, a former hostage of Hamas publicly stated she was sexually abused and tortured while in captivity.

For more information on the October 7, 2023 terror attacks, see the Canary Mission page on Hamas.

Also on October 7, 2023, Damanhoury posted a video on TikTok where she mocked a crying Israeli woman. In the video, Damanhoury advised [00:00:08] the Israeli woman to “just evacuate…leave the country and never go back” claiming this “would be safer” for her.

Anti-Semitism

On December 19, 2017, Damanhoury tweeted: “The majority of Jews living in the terrorist state of Israel are European so non of you are native to the land you European colonialists are doing what you do best, occupying and stealing the resources of indigenous peoples.”

One way that anti-Israel activists spread anti-Semitism is to claim [00:06:46] that Jews, particularly Ashkenazi Jews, do not descend from the ancient Israelites. This claim alleges that Jews are white Europeans who lack a connection to the Land of Israel. The Khazar myth is a common version of this claim which is used to delegitimize [00:02:16] the existence of the modern State of Israel.

On November 21, 2021, Damanhoury tweeted: “He was a white man from South Africa who choose to move Jerusalem and participate in colonizing and oppressing Palestinians hope he burns in hell.”

On November 21, 2021, Eliyahu David Kay, a 25-year-old Israeli civilian and tour guide,was killed by a Hamas gunman, Fadi Abu Shkhaidem, who opened fire near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Kay was an immigrant from South Africa who had served in the Israeli army. One civilian and two policemen were also injured from the shooting.

On October 6, 2018, Damanhoury tweeted: “Honestly f**k Israel f**k their racist system , f**k anyone who proudly claims to be Israeli and f**k everyone who believes Israel is a legitimate state.”

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) highlights as one possible contemporary example of anti-Semitism: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” The U.S. State Department adopted the IHRA’s working definition of anti-Semitism in 2016. Over 40 other countries have adopted the definition as well.

On May 12, 2021, Damanhoury tweeted to Gal Gadot: “Bitxh [b**ch] f**k you and your friends and family I hope they all leave Palestine and never return. You’re a murdered who supports and committed ethnic cleansing and genocide of my people.”

Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress famous for her role as Wonder Woman.

Support for Terrorists

On December 2, 2021, Damanhoury promoted on Facebook a PYM event titled:“PYM SD Presents: ‘The Holy Land Five.’”

The Holy Land Five (HLF5) were five individuals associated with the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) indicted for funneling funds to Hamas in the guise of humanitarian aid. The men were all convicted and sentenced in 2009 to federal prison terms ranging from 15 to 65 years.

On September 14, 2021, Damanhoury tweeted: “Rumors across Palestinian are saying that Zakaria [Zubeidi] was martyred but nothing has been confirmed. Praying for his recovery Allah yishfi [May God heal him].”

Zakaria Zubeidi was the former Jenin commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, which is listed as a foreign terror organization (FTO) by the U.S. government. Zubeidi was involved in several terror attacks on Israeli civilians. On September 6, 2021, Zubeidi was one of six prisoners who escaped from Israel’s Gilboa prison. They were all recaptured by September 19, 2021.

On September 12, 2021, Damanhoury posted to Instagram: “The zionist occupation has captured 4 out of the 6 Palestinians who liberated themselves from gilboa prison…On the third slide you can see the occupation police trying to hide Zakaria Al-Zubaidis face from the cameras...”

On July 8, 2021, Damanhoury posted on Instagram a video featuring Ghassan Kanafani and wrote: “...He was a revolutionary writer and leader who stood strong against the zionist regime. His legacy lives on as we continue to resist zionism and the zionists regimes attempt to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from our home land. #FreePalestine

.”

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.

On July 14, 2020, Damanhoury shared a PYM Facebook post that promoted their “5th Annual Ghassan Kanafani Resistance Arts Scholarship...”

Anti-Israel activists use the term “resistance” to refer to violence and terror perpetrated against Israeli civilians and their allies. It is used to glorify anti-Israel and anti-Semitic violence. Anti-Israel activists chant slogans such as: “Resistance by any means necessary!” and “Resistance is justified when people are occupied!” in response to terror attacks.

Promoting Incitement

On May 23, 2021, Damanhoury led [00:00:34] the chant: “be-ruh be-dam nifdik ya Aqsaبروح ودم نفديك يااقصى “ [with spirit, with blood we will redeem you Aqsa]” in front of a large crowd at a PYM-SD protest titled:“Rise up for Palestine.”

In May 2021, violent clashes broke out between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa compound following claims the Al-Aqsa Mosque was in danger. The subsequent incitement was a leading factor in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists firing over 4,300 rockets from Gaza into Israel later that month. Israel responded by launching “Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW),” carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza. Allegations of Jews “threatening” to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque have been a traditional pretext for Arab attacks on Jews predating the State of Israel.

On August 13, 2021, Damanhoury posted on Instagram a photo of herself and wrotet: “...Long live the intifada till Falasteen [Palestine] is free

.”

The term “intifada,” which translates from Arabic as “uprising” or “insurrection,” carries the connotation of violence. Palestinian intifadas waged against Israel have been marked since 1987 by hundreds of hijackings, shootings, stabbings, bombings and suicide missions.

Calling for Israel’s Destruction

On July 9, 2020, Damanhoury tweeted: “Israel should not exist and has no right to exist it’s a racist colonial apartheid state…”

On May 10, 2021, during OGW, Damanhoury tweeted: “Praying for the end of Israel inshallah [God willing].”

On August 25, 2021, Damanhoury posted on Instagram: “...Free Palestine from the river to the sea!”

“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” is a chant used [00:02:47] to call for the elimination of 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. In April 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the chant as antisemitic.

Hatred of Zionists

On December 5, 2021, Damanhoury tweeted: “You’re a f**kin zionist bro stfu [shut the f**k up.]

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.

On June 12, 2021, Damanhoury tweeted: “zionists ruin everything.”

On May 9, 2021, Damanhoury tweeted: “Cause you’re a dumb b**ch Zionist so stfu [shut the f**k up] loser.”

On December 17, 2020, Damanhoury tweeted: “I f**kin hate zionists.”

On June 22, 2020, Damanhoury tweeted: “Zionists are trash.”

On December 3, 2019, Damanhoury tweeted: “In conclusion f**k Israel and Zionism but more specifically f**k American Zionists.”

On June 30, 2019, Damanhoury tweeted: “If another zionist tries to speak to me in my mother tongue again i might just have to throw my shoe at them.”

PYM

In 2012, the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM USA) released a statement saying: “Our liberation...will be gained with the path that was written with the blood of our martyrs. We reaffirm that the only path that we are concerned with is the path that explicitly heads towards the liberation of our land and the return of our people to Palestine.”

PYM organized rallies demonizing Israel where it displays propaganda posters supporting the terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and compared Israel to Nazi Germany.

On October 25, 2015, PYM called to support “intifada” during a period when Palestinian radicals across Israel stabbed and hacked to death scores of Israeli civilians. PYM alleged that “Al-Aqsa Mosque has been the target of particularly brutal assaults” and that “... arbitrary killings are committed daily by the Zionist military and settlers.”

On November 10, 2015, the PYM Facebook page displayed a photo of masked Palestinian radicals throwing rocks and firing rocks from slingshots. That photo was used to promote at least 25 anti-Israel rallies across the globe on or around November 29, 2015 under the banner of “Transnational mobilization for Palestinian resistance.”

On November 30, 2015, PYM displayed a photo on Facebook from one of the rallies showing a sign in support of PFLP member Khalida Jarrar, who confessed to inciting violence and calling for terrorists to abduct Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers.

Another sign showed support for PFLP Secretary-General Ahmad Sadat, who was convicted for the 2001 assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi.

MSA

The MSA was established by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in January 1963 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with the goal of "spreading Islam as students in North America." A 2004 FBI investigation uncovered an internal Muslim Brotherhood document in which a brotherhood leader identified the MSA as "one of our organizations."

The MSA reportedly has “nearly 600 chapters” located in the United States and Canada, and is “the most visible and influential Islamic student organization in North America,” boasting conferences, special events, publications, websites and other activities.

The organization includes a number of previous chapter presidents with explicit links to terrorist groups. Included are al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki (Colorado State University), Somali al-Shabaab militant leader Omar Shafik Hammami (University of South Alabama) and Pakistani Taliban recruiter Ramy Zamzam of the MSA's Washington, D.C. council.

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.