Tara Tarawneh

On November 4, 2023, a few weeks after Hamas terror attacks on Israel, Tarawneh was arrested for stealing an Israeli flag on October 28, 2023 that was reportedly from the front of an apartment building near the Penn campus.

Tarawneh was charged by the Philadelphia County District Attorney’s Office with theft and “receiving stolen property.” As of November 2023, Tarawneh’s case was active and awaiting a status hearing.

On October 28, 2023, Tarawneh spoke at a rally where she glorified [00:00:14] Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack. She also said [00:00:49] she felt “so empowered and happy” by it and she called [slide 4] for Israel’s destruction and promoted incitement to violence.

On October 28, 2023, Tarawneh spoke at an anti-Israel rally held in Philadelphia and said [00:00:14]: “Do you guys remember the photo of the kids and men laughing and smiling as they sat on top of the Israeli military jeep captured by our freedom fighters?...How about the photos of the bulldozer breaking through the [Israeli-Gaza] border? Do you remember that picture? And the several other joyful and powerful images which came from the glorious October 7!”

Tarawneh continued [00:00:49]: “I remember feeling so empowered and happy, so confident that victory was near and so tangible. I want all of you to hold that feeling in your hearts. Never let go of it. Channel it through every action you take. Bring it to the streets! Go down to the streets every day! And don’t ever let them feel that you quietly accept this genocide!”

Tarawneh also led [00:01:30] the crowd in chanting: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!”

The rally was organized by The Philly Palestine Coalition and demanded an “end to the GENOCIDE IN THE DARK.” The rally was held at Philadelphia’s City Hall.

At the rally, Tarawneh spoke [slide 4] to the crowd and said: “The Zionist entity claims that this was a war in Gaza, but we know it is an all-out ethnic cleansing campaign against Palestinians wherever they may be, which uses genocide as its primary strategy!”

Tarawneh continued and said [slide 4, 00:00:13]: “I would like to acknowledge the problematic nature of using this word ‘ceasefire’…A ceasefire implies that both sides are implicated in the balance, but that’s not the case when one side is a colonial power and the other is a resistance movement fighting for liberation! If we want a real ceasefire, we must continue to fight for the complete liberation of Palestinian land from the river to the sea!”

Tarawneh then said [slide 4, 00:00:45]: “The blood of the martyrs asks my blood! ‘How could you accept the path of peaceful solution?’”

Tarawneh then asked [slide 4, 00:00:53] the crowd: “I am asking you! Do you accept it?” to which the crowd answered [00:00:56]: “No!”.

Tarawneh concluded [slide 4, 00:00:57] by saying: “Then we must begin to escalate!”

At the rally, anti-Israel protesters held signs that said: “Resistance is justified! When people are occupied!” An anti-Israel protester led the chant: “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution!”

On October 19, 2023, Tarawneh justified [slide 3] Hamas terrorism against Israeli civilians by the “sheer fact” that Israel exists while speaking [01:18:55] at a Philadelphia City Council meeting held to vote on a resolution condemning the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, 2023.

On October 19, 2023, Tarawneh spoke [01:18:55] against Philadelphia City Council Resolution 230706 titled: “Condemning the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel and calling for a peaceful resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.”

Tarawneh said [01:18:55]: “I’m here to oppose the resolution you’re all about to sign. The resolution… implies that Hamas strikes first time. We all know this is not true, because Israel by the sheer fact of its existence all the way strikes first. It’s a settler-colonial state based on the murder and expulsion of Palestinians.”

Tarawneh continued [01:19:21]: “The equation of violence on both sides and the equation of casualty on both sides are also very dangerous, because there are no civilians in a settler state… The right for colonized people to resist their colonization by any means necessary, including armed resistance is recognized under international law.”

Tarawneh then said [01:20:17]: “And Palestinians like all oppressed peoples have the right to resistance their oppressors by any means necessary!”

Tarawneh concluded [01:20:25] by shouting: “If you sign on to this resolution, you all have blood on your hands! We will never forgive and we will never forget! Shame on all of you!”