Watfae Zayed

Overview

Watfae Zayed whitewashed terrorism, glorified violent protests and promoted anti-Israel conspiracy theories. She has also spread hatred of Israel and is a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Watfae also promoted hatred of Israel while in high school.

Zayed was affiliated with the Muslim Student Association (MSA) from 2015 until 2018. She was reportedly an MSA leader at her high school in 2017.

Zayed reportedly spoke at the 2018 Muslim American Society (MAS) - Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)convention.

Zayed was the 2019 - 2020 Senator for Commuter Students at DePaul University’s (DePaul) Students Government Association (SGA). As of November 2020, she was the Vice President of DePaul SGA.

As of September 2020, Zayed’s LinkedIn said she was studying Neuroscience at DePaul with an expected graduation date of 2022. It also said she was an EMT with Elite Ambulance in Illinois since December 2018 and Chicago Quarter Mentor at DePaul, since April 2019.

On February 17, 2018, Zayed tweeted that she would be “furthering my education at depaul university as a pre physician assistant student in their pathway honors program.”

Also as of September 2020, Zayed’s Facebook page said she lived in Mokena, Illinois.

As of September 2020, Zayed used the handle “waffle.gurl” on Instagram and “waffle_gurl” on Twitter.

Whitewashing Terrorism

Zayed retweeted a June 23, 2020 tweet that said: “What isra*l won’t ever understand is that it’s an honor to die a martyr, something they can’t die from!! Allah yerhama…” The tweet included a video of the aftermath of a Palestinian car ramming attack.

Ahmad Erakat [Ahmad Moustafa Erekat] was killed by Israeli security forces after he accelerated and rammed his car into soldiers at a checkpoint. One female soldier was injured.

On the same date, Zayed retweeted another tweet that included the video of Erekat ramming his car into the soldier, and said: “Israel is a terrorist state / Israel turned his sisters wedding into a funeral / he was unarmed and posed no threat / Free Palestine from aparthied israel.”

Also on June 23, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “if you stand up for social justice but don’t stand up for Palestine, you’re a hypocrite. im sick of seeing ‘activists’ support every movement but aren’t anti-Israel.”

Zayed’s tweet included a tweet by Ahmad Erakat’s cousin, Noura Erakat,who eulogized him claiming: “Israeli soldiers shot to kill my baby cousin, Ahmed, left him to bleed out for 1.5 hours. He was 27, he deserved to live. Israeli cowards claim it was a car ramming incident…”

Glorifying Violent Protests

On May 14, 2018, Zayed tweeted: “y’all think US soldiers are strong while palestinian CIVILIANS go to war everyday just by protesting. They have sticks and rocks while their enemies have bullets and Bonn’s.”

In May 2018, terror group Hamas instigated violent riots on the Israeli-Gaza border. Thousands of rioters attempted to breach Israel’s border fence, declaring their intention to harm Jews across the border under the pretext of “peaceful resistance.”

On May 16, 2018, a Hamas senior official, Salah al-Bardawil, stated that 50 out of 62 protesters killed during the May 14 Gaza border protest were Hamas operatives. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also claimed that three of its members were killed at the same protest.

The violent riots continued until the end of 2018, accompanied by military-style attacks carried out by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other terror organizations. The attacks included gunfire, armed rioters penetrating Israeli territory, throwing IEDs and hand grenades and launching incendiary kites into Israel.

On July 1, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “‘free free palestine, before i punch u in the eye’ (
@MayarMiz, 2007)”

Promoting Anti-Israel Conspiracy Theories

On July 6, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “US police officers are trained using the same tactics the Israeli defense forces use. they learn racist techniques that have resulted in unlawful killings, ill treatment and torture (ie. the chokehold), use of excessive force, and surveillance.”

On the same date, invoking the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) “Deadly Exchange” campaign, she tweeted: “while in the US we see these actions as human rights violations and inhuman treatment, they are also being used as we speak in palestine. many police academies have exchange programs in which israeli officers COME TO THE U.S. AND TRAIN OUR OFFICERS!!!”

In 2017, JVP launched the “Deadly Exchange (DX)” campaign, which accused American Jewish organizations of promoting human rights abuses. JVP also released a video that blamed [00:04:04] U.S.-based Jewish organizations for violence that occurs against Black and Brown communities, immigrants and activists in the U.S.

The video accused mainstream Jewish organizations in the United States of coordinating exchange programs between American and Israeli security personnel, to advance “worst practices” and “racist policies.”

The campaign page claimed that these “policies” included: “extrajudicial executions, shoot-to-kill policies, police murders, racial profiling, massive spying and surveillance, deportation and detention.”

Zayed retweeted a June 3, 2020 tweet that claimed: “Israel forcibly made African jewish migrants infertile bc god forbid they end up with more black people on Israel's stolen occupied land! Also forced all African immigrants to be deported or be imprisoned. The Israeli govt. is disgusting & vile on so many levels.” The tweet linked to photos from a Black Lives Matter rally in Tel Aviv.

Spreading Hatred of Israel

On September 5, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “why he gotta ruin it by saying isr*el there’s universal healthcare in isr*el for the colonizers, but meanwhile they brutally murder and bomb Palestinians. don’t use them as an example.”

Zayed’s tweet referred to a tweet by U.S. Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders that said: “The ‘radical idea’ of universal health care is a reality in” and listed countries including Israel.

On July 6, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “reminder that if you support the #BlackLivesMatter movement, you have to be anti-Zionist too.
you cannot support israel while also supporting BLM.”

On July 1, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “to the arabs that STILL support the police: the cops dismantled and separated our #DayOfRage protest day for Palestine.
WAKE. UP.”

On June 30, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “Israel is a settler colonial apartheid state built on stolen Palestinian land & is constantly forcibly displacing, murdering, and violently oppressing the Palestinian People. We must demand to #AbolishApartheid & to reject Israeli annexation of Palestinian land #NoToAnnexation.”

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.

Zayed also retweeted a June 30, 2020 tweet that said: “The state of Israel is literally the ~Karen~ of the world. One of the most vicious, white supremacist ruling govt in history of the world. #NoToAnnexation #FreePalestine.”

The name Karen is used as a pejorative to depict a stereotype of a racist white woman.

Also on June 30, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “why are all the ‘activists’ so silent about the terrorist state of isr*al? annexation is ILLEGAL!! SPEAK UP!! #NoToAnnexation #AbolishApartheid.”

On June 28, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “friendly reminder that 2 years ago, israeli forces were deporting Black citizens. they never stood with Black lives. don’t be fooled by their ‘solidarity’ protests. it’s all an act.”

On May 26, 2020, Zayed tweeted: “don’t call yourself ‘progressive’ if you support israel in any way. idk how many times i gotta say it.”

On July 1, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “here’s your daily reminder that israel does not exist :)”

On May 5, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “israeli tradition is to attack innocent Palestinians days before Ramadan starts. they truly have no mercy or heart. this is absolutely disgusting.”

On March 18, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “we also need a president who isn’t gonna support israel and their human rights violations. you can ban assault weapons, but you’re still funding the terror machine and bombs israel uses to kill innocent civilians.”

On March 15, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “in the midst of this shooting yesterday, israel launches airstrikes in Gaza. if you really cared about Muslims, you’d give them time to mourn before attacking them again.”

Zayed’s tweet was in reference to a tweet by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressing condolences after a white supremacist carried out mass shooting attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

On March 14, 2019, nine rockets were launched from Gaza towards Israel. Israel responded with air strikes against terror targets in Gaza.

On March 14, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “notice how this is tweeted in a way that victimizes Israel this is the problem. May Allah SWT protect the civilians of Gaza and put an end to senseless israeli oppression. Israeli army launches air strikes after at least two rockets fired from Gaza.”

On February 25, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “as a supporter of palestine, i dont hate jews.
i hate israelis.”

On February 19, 2019, Zayed tweeted: “people are so ready to support #Kamala2020 rather than Bernie Sanders yet know nothing about Kamala’s involvement in Israeli genocide

hmm ok.”

On the same date, Zayed tweeted: “i understand we want a black female president, but an israeli-supporting terrorist ain’t it.”

Supporting BDS

Zayed retweeted a July 3, 2020 tweet by SJP Chicago that said: “Before you do your weekend shopping, boycott these brands that support Israel’s occupation of #Palestine!” The tweet included graphics calling to boycott brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, claiming that it “CONTINUES TO CAPITALIZE OFF OF THE DISCRIMINATION AND MISTREATMENT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.”

Zayed retweeted a March 20, 2020 tweet that said: “Seems like a pretty good time to cut off that $38 billion in military aid to Israel.”

High School Hatred of Israel

On October 3, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “almost retweeted then saw israel and thought hmm aren't palestinians innocently killed my israeli guns daily??” Her tweet referred to a tweet that said: “Remember ‘gun control doesn't work!!’..except in Canada, Japan, England, Spain Australia, Sweden, Iceland, Italy, Israel, Denmark, Germany..”

On July 20, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “rt and make sure u attend!!” Her tweet included a flyer promoting a protest by the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CCJP) titled “Aqsa Under Attack.”

The allegation that Jews “threaten” to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been a traditional pretext for Arab attacks on Jews long before the existence of the modern Jewish state. Such propaganda served as the excuse for an upsurge in Palestinian violence that flared in the fall of 2015 and incited Palestinians to attempt mass casualty attacks on Israeli civilians in July 2016..

On April 11, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “a mexican who supports trumps wall, it's like me, a palestinian, supporting israeli genocide.
doesn't make sense does it?”

On March 11, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “THIS RESEARCH PAPER IS SO ANNOYING BUT IM COMPLETELY TRASHING ISRAEL IN MINE AND ITS SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE I LOVE IT.”

On March 8, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “what is israel to a palestinian?” Her tweet included a screenshot of text that said: “To a Palestinian, Israel represents genocide.”

On February 25, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “when ur research essay is about the Israeli occupation and u have to think of a counterargument that supports the Israelis but u can't

.”

On February 4, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “lol the certain countries he's referring to is probs israel and that isn't even a real country

” Her tweet referred to a tweet by U.S. President Trump that said: “Interesting that certain Middle-Eastern countries agree with the ban. They know if certain people are allowed in it's death & destruction!”

On January 28, 2017, Zayed tweeted: “stopping illegal immigration when u were the first to illegally settle in palestine and murdered thousands?” Her tweet referred to a tweet by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that said: “President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea

.”

On May 26, 2015, Zayed tweeted: “‘once a Zionist, always a Zionist’
Israelis can never remain peaceful can they? #GazaUnderAttack #PrayForGaza
oh and btw thanks Obama

.”

That day, Israel targeted terror infrastructure sites in Gaza after a Palestinian rocket attack near the Israeli port city of Ashdod.

On March 17, 2015, Zayed tweeted: “Israel just claimed on the news that they R the only democracy in the Middle East, but last time I checked they don't exist…

sry I had to.”

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.

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.