Responding to concerns over anti-Israel and antisemitic bias at the United Nations, the House subcommittee responsible for providing funding for the State Department and foreign programs is pushing to eliminate U.S. funding for the United Nations’ general budget in its 2024 budget proposal.
The House Appropriations Committee’s State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs subcommittee advanced a draft funding bill on Friday that would make significant changes to the U.S.’ posture toward the United Nations, as well as implement a host of other policy reforms governing U.S. funding to the U.N., Iran, and more.
“Israel is routinely attacked and undermined across the entire U.N. system, while the world’s worst human rights abusers remain, frankly, relatively untouched,” Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), who chairs the subcommittee, said during Friday’s markup. “Therefore, it should come as no surprise that no funds are included in this bill for the U.N. regular budget. The ineffectiveness and the egregious failures of the United Nations and U.N. bodies do not merit support.”
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), the subcommittee ranking member, described the bill, which came in nearly 25% below the president’s budget request, as “extremely disturbing.” She intimated that the bill would be dead-on-arrival in the Senate. Lee is running for a Senate seat in California.
This bill “views the world in a black-and-white, good-and-evil paradigm. If we don’t like everything about an organization, or can’t control their actions, this bill prohibits funding,” Lee continued. “Believe me, that’s not the approach the government of [China] is taking… This is a deeply political bill that seeks to satisfy some very extreme members of Congress among us, without consideration of the real-life consequences.”
The legislation would also ban the U.S. from providing funding to the U.N. Commission of Inquiry investigating Israel or to UNESCO, which the administration is attempting to rejoin.
It includes a new prerequisite that, before each release of funding to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, the secretary of state must certify to Congress that UNRWA is complying with a range of oversight and accountability measures, including that it is implementing policies to prevent the dissemination of content that promotes antisemitism, violence or anti-Israel sentiments in UNRWA materials. The bill would also add “a new prohibition on funds for assessed expenses for UNRWA,” according to a summary released by the subcommittee.
The House legislation would tighten restrictions on the U.S.’ support for the U.N. Human Rights Council, demanding that the secretary of state provide a “detailed reform agenda, including a timeline” for removing Israel as a permanent agenda and reforming the selection process for the panel, as well as certify that remaining on the council is in the U.S.’ “national security interest.”
More broadly, the bill instructs the administration to seek written agreements with any international organization receiving funding from the U.S. to ensure access to the organization’s financial and investigative records for U.S. inspectors general.
The House draft legislation would mandate that any nuclear agreement with Iran be submitted to Congress as a treaty. It also maintains a provision present in the 2023 appropriations bill barring the administration from revoking the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ designation as a terrorist organization. It further bans funding to any Iranian proxy organizations operating in Iraq.
The bill includes a rider mandating that the Office of Palestinian Affairs report to the U.S. ambassador to Israel and prohibiting the office from administering or managing any U.S. bilateral assistance funding. The new policy appears to come in response to objections from Republicans to moves by the Biden administration to upgrade the office’s status and allow it to report directly to the State Department.
In anticipation of an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the bill would expand existing restrictions on U.S. relations with the Palestine Liberation Organization, aiming to disincentivize the Palestinans from acting on the court’s opinion.
It would prevent the president from waiving restrictions on the U.S.’ relationship with the PLO if the Palestinians initiate “any further action, whether directly or indirectly, based on an Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice that undermines direct negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, including matters related to final status and Israel’s longstanding security rights and responsibilities.”
Another provision in the bill would eliminate any special envoys or representatives at the State Department that are not specifically authorized by law or confirmed by Congress, including the special representative for Palestinian Affairs.
The bill also requires a new report to Congress on the Palestinian Authority’s work to counter violent incitement and promote peace with Israel.
The legislation would provide the scheduled $3.3 billion in foreign military financing for Israel as guaranteed under the Memorandum of Understanding, as well as $425 million in military aid and $845.1 million in nonmilitary aid for Jordan and $2.05 billion in military aid for Egypt.
The draft bill would eliminate human rights-based conditions on military aid to Egypt imposed in recent years. It would also extend the Defense Department’s authority to maintain a weapons stockpile in Israel through 2026.
And it strips out language added in the past two years by House Democrats requiring the secretary of state to consult with recipients of foreign military aid on U.S. law regarding the use of U.S. arms. Some critics of Israeli policy saw this language as a tool to enforce stricter oversight of U.S. aid to Israel.
Followers of media coverage of the Middle East were treated with horrific misinformation when at least ten news agencies claimed that “Textbook incitement continues but U.S. support of UNRWA remains high”. All of these misinformation sources falsely claimed that the US just allocated $223 million to UNRWA. No news agency reported the real scoop, which is that UNRWA cannot access new US funds for UNRWA until and unless UNRWA squelches incitement to violence from its curriculum, in accordance with the US – UNRWA accord from July 2021 which forbids US aid to UNRWA, so long as UNRWA incitement to violence continues in its curriculum.
The UN Human Rights Council issued a document last week by its reliably anti-Isrsel team of “experts” demanding that Palestinian “refugees” have the right to “return” under international law.
Right of return of Palestinian refugees must be prioritised over political considerations: UN experts
2022 marked the largest ever increase in the number of forcibly displaced persons worldwide, with over 108 million people across the globe uprooted from their homes, more than half are women and girls….
This reality is all too familiar for the Palestinian people, 75 years since the Nakba – the event that shattered Palestinian lives and severed their ancestral connection to their land during the establishment of the State of Israel. Since then, they have endured forced displacement, dispossession, and disenfranchisement, with their rights to self-determination, restitution, and compensation repeatedly denied. For 75 years, their cry for justice, embodied in the demand for the right to return, has resounded with unwavering determination.
For Palestinians, forced displacement has become part of their life for generations, tracing back to 1947-1949 when over 750,000 Palestinians were forced to flee massacres and mass expulsions and forcible transfers during the birth of the State of Israel. The majority, along with their descendants, are still in neighbouring Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, while 40 per cent of them remain under occupation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967. Progressively, Palestinian exile has scattered them across various nations globally.
Since 1948, both the General Assembly and the Security Council have consistently called upon Israel to facilitate the return of Palestinian refugees and provide reparations. Despite these repeated appeals, Palestinian refugees have been systematically denied of their right to return and forced to live in exile under precarious and vulnerable conditions outside the borders of Palestine.
The thing is, even the UN admits that these Palestinian Arabs are not legally considered refugees.
The UNHCR’s Refugee Survey Quarterly in 2010 has an article by Riccardo Bocco, a professor at the University of Geneva, looking at the history of UNRWA. It is hosted at the UNRWA website, today. ASnd it admits what we have been writing here for years: the UNRWA working definition of “Palestine refugee” has nothing to do with international law.
In looking at who is a Palestinian refugee, there is no definitive response. The definition and the number of Palestinian refugees can differ according to the approach (administrative, juridical, political) used to define Palestinian refugees and also according to the social context of interaction between Palestinians (registered refugees or not) and others and the actors defining them. UNRWA, particularly at the beginning of its mandate, lacked a fixed definition; this changed mainly due to a need to delimit the number of relief recipients. When the Agency began its activities, it inherited a legacy of inflated registration: the United Nations Economic Survey Mission recorded approximately 720,000 people, while the number of recipients on the ration rolls of the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees (UNRPR) surpassed 950,000. It is the 1952 definition that has become the accepted one and has remained virtually unchanged: “a Palestine refugee shall mean any person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period June 1, 1946 to May 15, 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict”.
Some remarks should be noted…. [T]he descendants of original registered refugees inherited UNRWA’s administrative title independently of the fact that they may have obtained a nationality and/or left the Agency’s fields of operation.
It is important to emphasize that the UNRWA definition of a Palestine refugee is an administrative one and does not translate directly into recognition by international law. Furthermore, a tacit understanding seems to prevail: UNRWA’s continued existence (and the associated Palestine refugee status) is directly linked to the realization of a permanent resolution to the Palestine refugee issue.
Four crucial facts are listed here:
1. Over 30% of the original “refugee” population UNRWA registered were not refugees, and took that status illicitly. They have never been purged.
2. The UNRWA definition of “refugee” is administrative, not legal, and has nothing to do with the legal definition of refugee under international law and the Refugee Convention.
3. UNRWA “refugees” and their descendants are still considered “registered refugees” even if they move away from UNRWA areas, even if they obtain citizenship elsewhere – not only Jordan but also EU countries and the US. This is a truly absurd situation that is impossible for any real refugee; it is axiomatic that one cannot be a refugee while simultaneously being a citizen of a state. But millions of Palestinians are. So we have an absurd situation where American multi-millionaire supermodels (whose father’s family voluntarily walked away from their home in Safed in 1948) are still considered “Palestine refugees.”
4. UNRWA has a conflict of interest between staying in business and a sane definition of “refugee.” . This is a major reason why it does not have any cessation clauses as UNHCR does. “Palestine refugees” are forever.
All of these facts are damning,. And they are on UNRWA’s own website, today.
The definition of “getting the message” is to understand something that is not being said directly.
Before and after the Shoah, Judeophobia reverted to a discreet mode at least in democratic countries. It took the form of subtle discrimination often disguised as social ostracism in country clubs, golf establishments, universities and some professional groups. It also manifested itself in a coded language where certain phrases and words conveyed more than a hint of aversion to Jews.
After the shock of the Shoah gradually wore off and with the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty, the reticence in expressing anti-Jewish views gradually dissipated.
That is where we find ourselves today, where full-blown rhetoric and slanderous lies about Jews and Israel are now standard fare.
Paradoxically the problem facing us is that whereas once we had to decipher coded messages, many feel unable or more likely unwilling to understand the raw incitement now being hurled in our direction.
If one does not understand the implications of what is being said, it follows that one will be completely taken by surprise when negative things happen. Far too many still “didn’t get it” even when in the past, the consequences have been dire.
Over the last several weeks, we have read the Torah portions relating the episodes of the spies sent by Moshe to report on the Promised Land and the abortive attempt by Korach and his followers to depose Moshe and Aaron as leaders.
In most probably the first case of anti-Zionism and self-loathing breast-beating, ten of the spies who were sent to scout out the Promised Land came back with such devastatingly negative reports that caused many of the Israelites to recoil at the prospect of making aliyah. Only Joshua and Caleb had anything good to say but they were unable to stem the panic engendered.
The punishment for this gross display of lack of faith was forty years of wandering in the wilderness until the current generation of ex-slaves died out, and a new generation was prepared to fight for and settle the land of Israel.
The attempt by Korach and his fellow malcontents to depose Moshe and Aaron also ended in disaster for them.
You would think that these two calamities might have conveyed the clear message to the multitude that certain actions have consequences, yet, despite everything, they still relapsed periodically into idolatry and behaviour not exactly in accordance with the laws received at Mount Sinai.
Over the last two thousand years in particular, the Jewish People have, from time to time, failed to learn the lessons that when others declare their intention to exclude, banish and target them they should heed the warning signals.
When almost daily rhetoric clearly indicates which way the wind is blowing there are unfortunately too many unwilling to get the hint. Whether it is political correctness, naivety, self-flagellation or just a desire to ignore reality, the message just does not seem to resonate.
A brief summary of current pronouncements should illustrate the problem.
The recent Victoria State gathering of the Labour Party was predictably an occasion for all the Israel bashers to show their true colours. Recognising “Palestine” has long been the objective of the far left. Ignoring the daily incitement to murder and eliminate any vestige of Jewish sovereignty and pretending that Abbas and the PA are paragons of democracy are standard features of these resolutions.
The Queensland Labour Party supports doubling aid to UNRWA, presumably without insisting on accountability as to how its funds are being used. It also insists that the Federal Government shifts its UN General Assembly votes back to a more neutral position. We should all recognise ill winds when they start blowing.
How long will it take before the Federal Labour Party is stampeded into embracing the terror gangs now in charge in Ramallah and Gaza? The message couldn’t be clearer. Will Jewish voters get the message or, instead, follow their American counterparts and continue to support a party drifting slowly but surely into the anti-Zionist camp?
Meanwhile, rumours continue to swirl about an impending deal between Iran and the USA. Despite denials from Washington, there is enough evidence pointing to some sort of sell-out being cooked up, which will appease the Mullahs and facilitate Iran’s march towards eradicating the “Zionist entity.” An indication of which way the foul wind is blowing can be garnered by the comment made by an unnamed Western official to the Reuters news Agency.
“The key objective of the impending nuclear deal between the US and Iran is to stop Israel from attacking Iran.”
In plain undiplomatic language, it really means that rather than thwarting and preventing the Iranians from carrying out their aim to destroy Israel and scuttling their sponsorship of terror, the Biden Administration is preparing to follow the Neville Chamberlain script.
The only difference, of course, is that Israel in 2023 is not Czechoslovakia of 1938. That message should be clear.
Despite protestations of the USA having “our back” and other such rhetoric designed to lull Israelis into a euphoric state of optimism, the sad reality is that slowly, but surely, the Democratic Party is being dragged to the left fringes.
Secretary of State Blinken has just made a pilgrimage to China, where he stated that the US does not support Taiwan’s independence. That message should be received loud and clear in Jerusalem. If Taiwan’s alleged closest ally can shamefully stab them in the back while visiting a country pledged to its elimination as an independent nation, then the same scenario can be enacted with Israel or South Korea.
The US is very “troubled” by the prospect of Jews building homes in places like Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. While the State Department calls Iran a major state sponsor of terror it seems that Washington is not so troubled when it comes to actually doing something to scuttle Teheran’s nefarious ambitions.
The PA President for life, Abbas, has just paid a visit to China where he was embraced as a bosom buddy and comrade in arms. The Chinese President stated, “China has always supported the just cause of the Palestinians to restore their legitimate national rights.”
Legitimate national rights championed by the President of a country pledged to take over Taiwan and which had previously destroyed Tibetan independence. Birds of a feather do indeed flock together.
Diplomatic silence in the face of such hypocrisy is no excuse. We should be making a fuss but so far there has been only silence. Is anyone getting the message?
Someone who did get a message, albeit belatedly, is the soon-to-be departed American Ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides. A Democratic political appointee, he faithfully articulated the politically correct line during his tenure whereby any Jewish presence in certain parts of Israel is “verboten”. When Arab terrorists murdered yet more Jews this week, he expressed profound sorrow at the loss of life on all sides. In other words, killing Jewish civilians and killing their murderers and facilitators was equally deplorable. After an uproar, he issued another tweet in which he attempted to backtrack. Of course, by then, the damage had been done and for all except the hopelessly gullible, the message was perfectly clear.
One hopes that whoever succeeds Nides will be more attuned to the realities of the situation, but given the prevailing agenda in the White House, that is a forlorn expectation.
The United Jewish Israel Appeal in the UK has issued a directive that any groups visiting Israel under its auspices who wish to visit places over the “green line” must first receive special permission from them to do so. In other words, a visit to the Kotel, Mount of Olives, Rachel’s Tomb and Cave of the Patriarchs, among other places, cannot be contemplated without first getting the OK from an organisation which is purportedly Zionist.
What’s next? Perhaps a ban on visiting Jerusalem because the UK Government does not recognise the city as Israel’s Capital.
Are we getting these messages and what do we intend to do about them?
On June 20, 2023, a terrorist attack occurred at a gas station in the city of El, located in the Binyamin region, resulting in the loss of our lives and leaving four others wounded. According to CNN reports, this attack is the deadliest incident involving Israelis since January (Gotkine). The four wounded individuals were later taken to hospitals after various resuscitation attempts.
As stated by the IDF, two terrorists approached the gas station where they shot a security guard and then further shot 5 more people at a restaurant (“4 Murdered in Terrorist Shooting Attack in Eli”). One of the civilians who was shot happened to be armed and neutralized one of the terrorists, while the other one was killed by both the IDF and Israel Security Agency troops after they located the vehicle he was travelling in (“4 Murdered in Terrorist Shooting
Attack in Eli”).
The communities affected by the terrorist attack officially released the names of the four Israelies who lost their lives: Elisha Antman, 18 and Ofer Fierman, 63 who were both from Eli; Harel Masoud, 21, of Yad Binyamin; and Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, at age 17, from Ahiya.
Elisha Anteman, age 18, from the settlement of Eli in the central West Bank was buried late Tuesday night at the cemetery in his hometown.
His funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners who came to pay their respects to a young life that was tragically taken during the terrorist attack (Bachner). Anteman was said to have been a diligent student in the 12th grade at Bnei Akiva Eli Yeshiva and was described as a good
child of the Land of Israel by Binyamin Regional Council head Yisrael Gantz. Recognizing the profound deviation demonstrated by Elishas’s family, he acknowledges them as a significant source of inspiration and strength to find growth despite the agonizing pain.
Victim Ofer Fierman, a 63-year-old resident of Eli, was shot and killed at the gas station while he was innocently filling his car. The victim left behind a strong sense of compassion and
responsibility towards his homeland (Rahav-Meir). He was deeply known for his habit of
cleaning trash to demonstrate the love he had towards the Land of Israel. He not only believed that preserving the cleanliness of land was a duty owed by each and every inhabitant of the land, but as a way to show respect and honor the country he cherished.
Harel Masoud, a 21-year-old resident of Yad Binyamin and victim of a shooting attack near the settlement of Eli in the
central West Bank was one of the four individuals who lost his life on June 20, 2023. Masoud’s funeral was held that same night in Yesodot, Israel, where his family and friends were able to gather
and pay their final respects to him (Shezaf). In his mother’s tribute to him, she revealed that Masoud had recently been released
from the army and had just begun to
embrace the incredible opportunities that awaited him in the land he loved. Masoud’s
“charismatic and energetic” personality left a lasting impression on his peers and was described by his high school principal, Rabbi Hezekiah Darmon, as a highly dedicated and fearless individual who was always ready to take on challenges and
commit to his personal goals (Shezaf). Ultimately, Massoud’s death created an irreplaceable void and he will forever be cherished by his family, friends and community.
Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, a 17-year-old young man from Ahiya was
regrettably among the victims who lost their lives in the devastating terrorist attack. His funeral was held on Wednesday morning in the town of Shiloh, where residents of the
community, friends and family
gathered to mourn the loss of a remarkable man (Rahav-Meir).
Nachman’s mother described him as a precious child full of energy and joy. He was known for his love toward the Land of Israel and its people, possessing a genuine desire to do good while prioritizing the needs of others before himself (“Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, Teen Terror Victim”). According to Nachman’s family, he was a beloved young man who was always radiating positive
energy and never failed to provide support or
encouragement to those in need (“Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, Teen Terror Victim”). He embraced the values
of integrity, holiness and respect towards his parents and was able to form deep connections driven by his pure intentions and infectious smile. Ultimately, Nachman’s death left a profound impact and the values he embodied will undoubtedly serve as a lasting inspiration for others to uphold truth, kindness and passion.
Works Cited
Bachner, Michael, et al. “‘how Do I Go on?’ Funerals Held for 4 Israelis Killed in West Bank Terror Attack.” The Times of Israel, 21 June 2023,
USA:s ambassadör Tom Nides kommentar om det kallblodiga mordet på fyra judar i Israel nyligen har fått kritik för sin brist på tydlighet och beslutsamma åtgärder. Samtidigt som ambassadör Nides uttryckte kondoleanser till de sörjande familjerna avstod han från att uttryckligen identifiera förövarna eller märka händelsen som en terroristattack.
Ambassadör Nides ordval har fått många att höja på ögonbrynen, med hans betoning på mordens meningslöshet snarare än att entydigt fördöma själva dådet. Detta fokus på mordens effektivitet snarare än morden har mötts med skepsis, vilket leder till frågor om den amerikanska regeringens inställning i frågan.
Dessa kommentarer från ambassadör Nides kommer i kölvattnet av USA:s utrikesminister Blinkens senaste uttalande vid Aipac-konferensen, där han pekade ut israelisk bosättningsexpansion som det största hindret för en “horisont av hopp”. Denna uppenbara obalans när det gäller att ta itu med oron hos båda sidor i konflikten har utlöst ytterligare granskning av USA:s utrikespolitik.
Medan USA kräver åtgärder från Israel, såsom att stoppa bosättningsexpansionen, misslyckas man med att utöva liknande påtryckningar på den palestinska myndigheten (PA).
PA:s kontroversiella lag, som belönar alla som mördar en jude med en livstidslön, har inte fördömts av amerikanska tjänstemän utan bara uttryckt sitt ogillande.
Dessutom har USA inte krävt att läroböcker och lärare inom PA:s utbildningssystem som glorifierar våldshandlingar mot judar ska tas bort. Denna hantering av uppvigling har varit en kärnfråga, eftersom USA fortsätter att stödja PA samtidigt som man misslyckas med att kräva väsentliga förändringar.
USA:s brist på kommentarer om de palestinska säkerhetsstyrkornas (PSF) ansvar för över 8 000 väpnade attacker på israeliska vägar har också väckt oro. PSF, utbildad av USA och Kanada för att bekämpa terrorism, har varit inblandad i våldshandlingar, vilket ger starka tvivel på detta träningsprogram.
Överraskande tillkännagav USA sin avsikt att förnya finansieringen till FN:s hjälporganisation UNRWA trots organisationens misslyckande med att ta itu med uppvigling i sina skolor. Avtalet mellan USA och UNRWA föreskrev att avlägsnandet av uppvigling var en förutsättning för amerikansk finansiering.
Samtidigt som finansieringen förnyas, genomförde UNRWA sommarläger med vapenträning för cirka 100 000 elever, vissa så unga som nio år gamla. Dessa läger hölls för att hedra individer som fångats och dödats när de försökte mörda judar. Detta visar igen icke-effektiviteten i UNRWA:s ansträngningar för att främja fred och försoning.
Kritik mot den amerikanska regeringens uttalanden och åtgärder angående den israelisk-palestinska konflikten har påtalats på grund av de senaste avslöjandena av dokumentation av UNRWA:s sommarläger med vapenträning. Denna utveckling understryker oron över USA:s åtagande att bekämpa terrorism och främja en balanserad strategi i regionen.
Omvärlden bör ta denna oro på stort allvar. Så även Sverige.
David Bedein är en MSW-samhällsorganisatör och en undersökande journalist. År 1987 etablerade Bedein ”Israel Resource News Agency” i Beit Agron, Jerusalem, för att följa utländska journalister i deras bevakning av Israel, för att balansera den media som etablerats av PLO och deras allierade. Bedein har rapporterat för nyhetskanaler som CNN Radio, MakorRishon, Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Times, BBC och
After numerous accusations of antisemitism, some pro-Palestinian campus advocates became vocal in stressing that their critique was merely anti-Zionist. However, according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), the widely-accepted definition of antisemitism, there are clearly antisemitic elements in their activities. In addition to the usual charges of apartheid and colonialism, advocates took to describing those who disagreed with them as “Zionists.”
In March, George Washington University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (GW SJP) launched the annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) to “combat the university’s ongoing discrimination and suppression of the Palestinian community.” The IAW began with a teach-in, “Confronting Zionism,” that partnered with the Palestinian Youth Movement’s local chapter to help students “resist Zionism on campus.” SJP also set up an apartheid wall, calling for “land back.” Laila, an organizer from GW SJP, said the university “is an incredibly Zionist campus in multiple facets… GW is a very Zionist campus.” The administration is “particularly open about their support for Zionism.” GW also prevented SJP from receiving funds as a student organization. GW SJP believes such actions “make the university complicit in the larger system of Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism.”
Other protest activities have the same flavor. On Dec 4, 2022, Counterculture Magazine at the University of Richmond (UR) published an article titled “Palestinian Activism on College Campuses.” It detailed how in late 2022, a protest at GWU, led by GW SJP and GW Jewish Voice for Peace, took place outside an event of GW for Israel and GW Hillel groups. The pro-Palestinian students protested a talk by Doron Tenne.” an IDF officer during the First Intifada. The protesters charged that “thousands of Palestinian people were killed during a series of mass protests against the Israeli occupation.”
In other incidents, for example, in late 2022, the University of Maryland’s (UMD) SJP issued a statement regarding a speaker event for Israel Studies on campus. The speaker was Ambassador Michael Herzog, a former general in the IDF. The UMD SJP stated that the IDF “subjugate and ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their ancestral homelands.”
In the academic year 2021-2022, students at the UR established their own chapter of SJP. Razan Khalil, one of the leaders of the effort, vigorously rejected any accusations of antisemitism, ”UR’s chapter has been critiqued constantly for antisemitism while in its mission statement, it simply calls for more awareness about the injustices that Palestinian people face in their homeland. Seeing as opposition to Palestinian activism is present on many campuses, it is clear that there is a distinct pattern of discrimination against Palestinian people as a whole in the administration of many higher education institutions. What is quite interesting is that while Palestinian activist organizations call out the actions of other organizations that may promote the ongoing systemic oppression of Palestinian people worldwide, they oftentimes experience more repercussions than the organizations promoting the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in their choices of events and speakers themselves.”
The pro-Palestinian activists argued that GWU SJP’s protest “elicited a response from the President insinuating that the rhetoric of the protest was discriminatory and therefore needed to be condemned, yet no higher administrative official spoke up about the fact that organizations at the University were hosting speakers that directly contributed to the deaths of innocent Palestinian people. When actions like these add up on a college campus, they promote a subtle message about how little many higher education institutions care about the human rights of Palestinian people, and what lengths they will go to in order to ensure that Palestinian activism is met with vitriol.”
Moreover, for pro-Palestinian activists on campus, the “conflation of antiZionism and anti-semitism… is most certainly present on college campuses. With that conflation comes the restriction of activists’ rights to speak up about the atrocities committed by the state of Israel. It simply does not make sense to acknowledge freedom of speech and then explicitly deny it to a group of people on the false claim of religious discrimination.”
Pro-Palestinian activists claim that they are accused of antisemitism falsely. They pointed out the case of Nerdeen Kiswani, a Law student at CUNY who was described as the “Antisemite of the Year” by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). They noted “what happened to student Nerdeen Kiswani, who was labeled as antisemite of the year by stopantisemitism.org. Her college eventually had to step in and issue a statement advocating for the protection of the right to free speech.”
However, the ADL published in February a report that described Kiswani as an anti-Israel activist and co-founder and leader of Within Our Lifetime-United for Palestine (WOL), a radical New York-based anti-Israel organization that routinely expresses support for violence against Israel. Kiswani’s antisemitism is clearly expressed via her expressions of extreme anti-Zionist rhetoric, including her calls for all ‘Zionists’ to be vilified and expelled from community spaces, as well as her support for indiscriminate violence against Israel aimed at the country’s dissolution.” Kiswani and her organization “explicitly call for the complete eradication of Israel, including for Israel to be ‘wiped off the map,’ and have called for Israeli Jews to leave the country” WOL and Kiswani expressed support for acts of terror perpetrated by terror groups such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). On several occasions, Kiswani and WOL have “promulgated classic antisemitic tropes, including those related to ‘Zionist’ control over media and politics.”
In February 2023: when five Hamas members were killed in an Israeli military operation in Jericho, WOL shared an image declaring them “freedom fighters,” stating that the organization was “in rage and mourning.” In November 2014: Following a PFLP shooting in a Jerusalem synagogue, Kiswani shared PFLP’s statement justifying the act of terror as a “natural response” to Israeli actions. in 2022: Kiswani shared a meme reading: “Little Miss telling everyone Israel is[sic] will be wiped off the map inshallah [God willing].” In 2022: Responding to a news story about free vacations to Israelis who live near the Gaza Strip, Kiswani commented that those Israelis should “leave and never come back.” In November 2022, in an appearance on the Iranian news channel Press TV, Kiswani said, “Resistance is the only way.”
On numerous occasions, Kiswani and WOL have shared materials venerating PFLP and Leila Khaled, one of the hijackers of two civilian airliners, TWA Flight 840 in 1969 (from Rome to Tel Aviv) and El Al Flight 219 in 1970 (from Amsterdam to New York City). In September 2016, WOL shared an image of Leila Khaled carrying a rifle alongside a quote justifying violence. In 2017 WOL posted a Facebook post, “From occupied Palestine to Hollywood, israel’s dogs of war find lucrative positions upholding imperialism, sexual violence and misogyny.” In July 2015, Kiswani advertised an event on Facebook: “Please be here tomorrow if you can! It’s the same story of zionists using their political clout to get away from being held accountable for hate based crimes while ironically accusing others of what they have done.” Kiswani personally led chants of “Zionism out of CUNY.” Kiswani has expressed happiness that some places have become “toxic and unwelcome” for “Zionists.” She called Zionists “complete scum.” In March 2017, she wrote, “Im so happy feminism and feminist movements have created a toxic and unwelcome environment for Zionists.” In June 2022, WOL tweeted, “Zionism has no place in CUNY. Attempts to silence us only make us stronger! #ZionismOutOfCUNY.” WOL suggested chants, “Say it loud say it clear, we don’t want zionists here.” In July 2014, Kiswani wrote, “Any person who supports Israel in any way shape or form Any person who apologizes on behalf of Israel Any person who identifies as a Zionist in any way shape or form Is complete scum… Israel as a state needs to be dismantled. It needs to go.”
The above incidents represent the conflation of pro-Palestinian activists and antisemitic sentiments on campus per the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism. They negate the Jews’ right to self-determination and aspire to annihilate the Jewish state.
George Washington University Students Battle Zionist Bullying on Campus
PRIYA ARAVINDHAN NORTH AMERICA POSTED ON JUNE 2, 2023
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, June/July 2023, pp. 30-31
Special Report
By Priya Aravindhan
IN THE LAST WEEK of March, George Washington University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (GW SJP) launched Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) to combat the university’s ongoing discrimination and suppression of the Palestinian community.
The week began on March 27 with a teach-in, “Confronting Zionism.” GW SJP partnered with the Palestinian Youth Movement’s local chapter to help students identify and resist Zionism on campus. In the following days, students held various events, such as a dabke workshop and “A Night in Palestine” cultural celebration.
Throughout the week, SJP set up and maintained an apartheid wall with resistance art and calls for “land back.” IAW culminated in a rally on the school’s Kogan Plaza on March 31, in which various students formed a united front against the university’s ongoing oppression of Palestinian and anti-Zionist students and faculty.
This year’s IAW came at a time when Palestinian identity is becoming increasingly targeted by GW’s administration. A month prior to IAW, GW professor Dr. Lara Sheehi was wrongfully accused of discriminating against Jewish students by StandWithUs, a right-wing pro-Israel activist group. The university cleared Sheehi of all charges. In a statement, the Office of the University President said those bringing the charges “advocated for an expansive view of the definition of anti-Semitism, which, if accepted in the university environment, could infringe on free speech principles and academic freedom.”
Despite this favorable ruling, many feel GW remains a hostile place for Palestinians. Laila, an organizer from GW SJP, said the university “is an incredibly Zionist campus in multiple facets” and that the administration is “particularly open about their support for Zionism.” (The student, like others quoted in this article, wished to remain anonymous due to fears of being slandered by pro-Israel groups, such as Canary Mission, that regularly target those advocating for Palestine on campus.)
Indeed, in 2021 the university removed counseling services for Palestinian students experiencing trauma as a result of Israeli violence due to complaints from a pro-Israel group. The school was later reprimanded by the District of Columbia’s Office for Human Rights for discriminating against Palestinian students. The academic institution has also prevented SJP from receiving funds as a student organization.
GW SJP believes such actions make the university complicit in the larger system of Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism. “GW’s administration continually puts obstacles in front of the work we’ve been doing,” Laila said.
Last year, SJP held a postering event to protest GW Hillel for inviting Doron Tenne, a former senior intelligence officer in the Israeli military, to speak on campus. In response to a poster pasted on GW Hillel’s bench, the university administration claimed vandalism and threatened SJP with censure and its president with disciplinary probation. The charges, however, were false, as neither the president nor the organization was responsible for the poster pasting, as the university ultimately conceded.
Supporters of Palestine are disinclined to applaud the administration for dismissing accusations in this and other cases. “Our success doesn’t really have to do with the administration,” Laila said. “It is very much a response to the organizing of our community members and the solidarity of our partners.” They pointed to other GW organizations, regional SJP groups and national political groups as being particularly vocal in defending GW SJP from spurious attacks.
“GW is a very Zionist campus,” George, another SJP organizer said, “but there is a lot of silent support for Palestine.” People are often cautious to publicly mobilize for the Palestinian cause “due to certain risks that come with things like your career being threatened or being doxxed online,” he added.
One important event from IAW was the panel “The Palestine Exception,” which discussed the academic suppression of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voices. Dr. Sheehi, Palestine Legal attorney Dylan Saba and Palestinian GW professor William Youmans spoke on the work they have been doing around Palestine for decades. “It was amazing to see our place within the larger movement for Palestine by seeing how the student movement has evolved,” George stated.
IAW not only served as a time to build a stronger united front against oppression, but also as a safe space for people to speak out against Israeli apartheid and show unapologetic support for Palestine. “We want to show people that there is a place on campus to demonstrate support for Palestinian liberation,” one student said. “We’re here and we’re not going to back down no matter what.”
“Our goal was to engage with people who have never really engaged with Palestine and to consolidate the Palestinian community on campus and create a week for them to celebrate our culture and our resistance,” one organizer expressed. “IAW is a time when we can be extra visible on campus.” With the apartheid wall and numerous cultural and academic events, GW’s SJP successfully asserted their presence on campus and their ongoing resistance to the systems that work against them and all Palestinians.
Priya Aravindhan is a rising senior studying anthropology and international affairs, with an interest in the Middle East and South Asia, at The George Washington University. She interned for the Washington Report this spring.
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Issue Two of Counterculture Magazine, the University of Richmond’s first publication to focus exclusively on social justice issues.
On October 11, 2022 at George Washington University, a protest led by GW Students for Justice in Palestine and GW Jewish Voice for Peace organizations occurred outside of an ev ent being hosted by the GW for Israel and GW Hillel groups.
The event was called “A Conversation with Doron Tenne.” Doron Tenne held various positions within the Israeli Defense Force during a period known as the First Intifada, when over 2,000 Palestinian people were when thousands of Palestinian people were killed during a series of mass protests against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza).
In response to the protest, both GW for Israel and GW Hillel issued statements. GW Hillel’s statement read that the protests “[limited] the ability of our Jewish students to freely learn,” calling the behavior of the protesters “aggressive action.” GW Jewish Voice for Peace responded in their statement that the specific wording of GW Hillel’s statement “[asserted] that the protest targeted Jewish students and the Jewish community on campus at large” when in reality, it “perpetuates the conflation of antiZionism and anti-semitism.” The President of George Washington University also released a letter to all students following the protest, but did not specifically address the event itself or the fact that a former IDF official was being hosted.
George Washington University is only one of many universities where Palestinian activism groups have protested hosting speakers that were directly involved in the oppression of Palestinian people. On October 27, 2022, the University of Maryland’s Students for Justice in Palestine issued a statement regarding a speaker event being hosted by the Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies on campus. The speaker was Ambassador Michael Herzog, a former general in the Israeli Defense Forces. UMD Students for Justice in Palestine stated that the purpose of the Israeli Defense Forces was to “subjugate and ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their ancestral homelands,” which was their purpose for opposing the event.
As Palestinian activism continues to gain traction on college campuses, concerns about the safety of the students openly participating in the cause rise. On George Washington’s campus, members of GW Hillel leadership argued in their statement that the protest regarding the Doron Tenne event crossed a line threatening the safety of Jewish students. This argument is a symptom of a larger debate occurring on many college campuses: are openly anti-Zionist events and protests inherently antisemitic? Many members of Students for Justice in Palestine chapters respond that they are not; in fact, these members point out that mistaking anti-Zionism for antisemitism is the teal problem, as while some definitions of Zionism state that it is the belief in the development and protection of the Jewish state in Israel, antisemitism is the systemic oppression of Jewish individuals.
On some college campuses, such as the campus of the University of New York, students engaging in Palestinian activism have to think about their actions strategically to protect their academic and professional standing. Some students worry about being listed on the website of the Canary Mission, which lists pro-Palestine students and calls them out for supposedly being anti-semitic. Others worry about campaigns being set up to besmirch their name and prevent them from navigating their campus or job safely.
This was exactly what happened to student Nerdeen Kiswani, who was labeled as antisemite of the year by stopantisemitism.org. Her college eventually had to step in and issue a statement advocating for the protection of the right to free speech.
For some pro-Palestine activists, the threats go so far as to alert the FBI, leading to interrogations that are prompted by their names being on the blacklists of some pro-Israel organizations such as the Canary Mission. All evidence points to an undebatable truth: students advocating for the freedom of Palestine are not necessarily safe on their campuses. They often engage in activist efforts at the expense of their own security.
Students at the University of Richmond established their own chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine in the 2021-2022 academic year. Razan Khalil was at the forefront of this effort, and they mentioned several roadblocks that they experienced while trying to get the club approved. Many of these roadblocks reflected those that the Students for Justice in Palestine chapters at George Washington University and the University of Maryland faced. During the year, Razan had to meet with a committee three times and was “‘interrogated’ on whether Students for Justice in Palestine was exclusive toward Jewish students, whether [it] was antisemitic, and whether [it] would directly target Israeli students.”
Reportedly, one of the members of the committee said that they couldn’t believe the University was allowing such an “antisemitic organization” on campus after one of several meetings with Khalil.
One of the recent events hosted by UR’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter was a virtual discussion with Dr. Angela Davis, world-renowned scholar and author of Freedom is a Constant Struggle. In an effort to curate a list of questions that students had for Dr. Davis, a form was released online for submissions prior to the event. In this form, Khalil noted that some questions that were submitted seemed to target Students for Justice in Palestine, which was a complete antithesis of the purpose of the event itself. This was only one of many instances of questioning that Students for Justice in Palestine has experienced on campus since its founding, as noted before. Just as on other campuses, UR’s chapter has been critiqued constantly for antisemitism while in its mission statement, it simply calls for more awareness about the injustices that Palestinian people face in their homeland.
Seeing as opposition to Palestinian activism is present on many campuses, it is clear that there is a distinct pattern of discrimination against Palestinian people as a whole in the administration of many higher education institutions.
What is quite interesting is that while Palestinian activist organizations call out the actions of other organizations that may promote the ongoing systemic oppression of Palestinian people worldwide, they oftentimes experience more repercussions than the organizations promoting the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in their choices of events and speakers themselves.
As seen at George Washington University, Students for Justice in Palestine’s protest elicited a response from the President insinuating that the rhetoric of the protest was discriminatory and therefore needed to be condemned, yet no higher administrative official spoke up about the fact that organizations at the University were hosting speakers that directly contributed to the deaths of innocent Palestinian people. When actions like these add up on a college campus, they promote a subtle message about how little many higher education institutions care about the human rights of Palestinian people, and what lengths they will go to in order to ensure that Palestinian activism is met with vitriol.
Another point is to be made about the freedom of speech argument that some organizations will utilize to target pro-Palestine students.
Many of these organizations insist that while students are entitled to freedom of speech, openly criticizing the Israeli government and military for the death of so many Palestinian people is directly correlated with the targeting of all Jewish students on campus. This line of thinking suggests that the conflation of antiZionism and anti-semitism that GW Jewish Voice for Peace addressed in their statement is most certainly present on college campuses.
With that conflation comes the restriction of activists’ rights to speak up about the atrocities committed by the state of Israel. It simply does not make sense to acknowledge freedom of speech and then explicitly deny it to a group of people on the false claim of religious discrimination.
That being said, members of UR’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter still express hope about the future of their cause. Khalil noted that “with every chapter they have seen, the resistance is met with the support of many,” meaning that an organized collective of students and community members is always ready to defend the organization when accusations of antisemitism begin. However, it is important to note that there are still concerns about the safety of pro-Palestine activists on college campuses such as UR’s, given that GW’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter is now facing disciplinary charges because of their protest against the Doron Tenne event.
George Washington University charged the organization with misconduct, and a Palestine Legal attorney representing Students for Justice in Palestine rightfully responded to the charge with a poignant statement: “SJP followed all the rules around postering and directed their members and allies to do the same. But GW is selectively targeting this group for punishment, when there is zero evidence of any wrongdoing. This looks like racist, anti-Palestinian profiling and the law does not support it.”
When legality enters the conversation, it becomes obvious that the rights of pro-Palestine activists on college campus are actively being challenged at every level. It just goes to show that Palestinian activism on UR’s campus is likely to continue facing criticism and opposition at every turn, meaning that awareness about the cause must be circulated constantly in order to protect those openly engaging with it.
***
Editor’s Note: This article has undergone revision for clarity. (December 2022)
• Nerdeen Kiswani is an anti-Israel activist and co-founder and leader of Within Our Lifetime-United for Palestine (WOL), a radical New York-based anti-Israel organization that routinely expresses support for violence against Israel.
• Kiswani’s antisemitism is clearly expressed via her expressions of extreme anti-Zionist rhetoric, including her calls for all “Zionists” to be vilified and expelled from community spaces, as well as her support for indiscriminate violence against Israel aimed at the country’s dissolution.
• Kiswani and WOL (founded in 2015) organize rallies in New York City that have drawn thousands of attendees, including events outside the Israeli consulate and pro-Israel organizations such as the Jewish National Fund (JNF).
• Kiswani and her organization explicitly call for the complete eradication of Israel, including for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” and have called for Israeli Jews to leave the country (both from the West Bank and in Israel proper).
• WOL and Kiswani frequently express support for acts of terror perpetrated by U.S.-designated terror groups, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
• Kiswani habitually asserts that all Zionists, including American Jews who support Israel, are inherently bigoted and should be ostracized.
• On several occasions, Kiswani and WOL have promulgated classic antisemitic tropes, including those related to “Zionist” control over media and politics.
• Kiswani has been platformed by leftist outlets, including Haymarket Books.
• Kiswani became widely known after she delivered a May 2022 commencement speech for CUNY Law in which she excoriated “Zionists” and condemned “normalizing” trips to Israel.
Promotion of violence, terrorism and removal of Israelis from Israel
Kiswani and WOL express full, unabashed support for all forms of “resistance” against Israel, regardless of the brutality of the violence. On social media, she and WOL make their veneration of violence against Israelis clear:
• February 2023: After U.S. State Department-designated terror organization Hamas claimed as members all five Palestinians killed in an Israeli military operation in Jericho, WOL shared an image declaring them “freedom fighters” and that WOL was “in rage and mourning.”
• November 2014: Following a PFLP shooting and meat cleaver attack that killed four worshippers in a Jerusalem synagogue, Kiswani shared PFLP’s statement justifying the act of terror as a “natural response” to Israeli actions.
• 2022: Kiswani shared a meme on her Instagram account reading: “Little Miss telling everyone Israel is[sic] will be wiped off the map inshallah [God willing].”
• 2022: Responding to a news story about an airline offering free vacations to Israelis who live near the Gaza Strip, Kiswani commented that those Israelis should “leave and never come back.”
• November 2022: In an appearance on the Iranian government-backed news channel Press TV, Kiswani said, “Resistance is the only way” and that no political process remains that will result in Palestinian liberation.
• On numerous occasions, Kiswani and WOL have shared materials venerating PFLP and one of its leaders, Leila Khaled, known for her role in the hijacking of two civilian airliners, TWA Flight 840 in 1969 (bound for Tel Aviv from Rome) and El Al flight 219 in 1970 (traveling from Amsterdam to New York City). In September 2016, WOL shared an image of Leila Khaled carrying a rifle alongside a quote justifying violence.
• March 2022: For International Women’s Day, WOL posted a collage containing images of at least three women who have engaged in terrorism against Israel, including Leila Khaled and Rasmea Odeh.
Historic/Classic Antisemitic Tropes
On at least four occasions, Kiswani and WOL have used social media to share classic antisemitic tropes related to alleged Israeli and “Zionist” control or nefarious influence over Hollywood, sexual violence against women, politics, media and more.
• 2017: WOL Facebook post: “From occupied Palestine to Hollywood, israel’s[sic] dogs of war find lucrative positions upholding imperialism, sexual violence and misogyny.”
• 2016 WOL Facebook post: “When the vast majority of politicians in the US are bought off by the zionist [sic] lobby, talk is cheap.”
• July 2015: On Facebook, Kiswani advertised an event: “Please be here tomorrow if you can! It’s the same story of zionists[sic] using their political clout to get away from being held accountable for hate based crimes while ironically accusing others of what they have done…”
• 2013: Kiswani shared a quote on Facebook that included: “Despite the almost total control of the major media conglomerates by Global Zionism, the advocates of pro-Palestine are winning the war on social medias[sic].”
Calling for Shunning of “Zionists”
Kiswani personally led chants of “Zionism out of CUNY” as she protested outside the university during her time as a student activist. “Zionism out of CUNY” can be viewed as an antisemitic call against the Jewish community at large, as the vast majority of American Jews identify as Zionist or consider a connection to Israel to be integral to their social, cultural or religious identities. Kiswani has also expressed joy that some spaces have become “toxic and unwelcome” for “Zionists.” In other commentary, she has called Zionists “complete scum.”
• March 2017: “Im[sic] so happy feminism and feminist movements have created a toxic and unwelcome environment for Zionists”
• June 2022: WOL tweet: “Zionism has no place in CUNY. Attempts to silence us only make us stronger! #ZionismOutOfCUNY”
• The WOL website lists among its suggested chants for anti-Israel rallies: “Say it loud say it clear, we don’t want zionists here”
• July 2014: “Any person who supports Israel in any way shape or form Any person who apologizes on behalf of Israel Any person who identifies as a Zionist in any way shape or form Is complete scum[sic]… Israel as a state needs to be dismantled. It needs to go.”
“Ambassador Tom Nides
@USAmbIsrael
I condemn in the strongest terms the senseless murder of four innocent
Israelis today – my heart is with their grieving family members.”
While Ambassador Nides managed to figure out that the four “innocent” people
murdered were “Israelis” he is clueless as to who carried out these
murders – Martians?
He does, however, make clear why he condemns the “murders”: They were
“senseless”. So the problem apparently is the efficacy of the murders
rather than the murders themselves.
Ambassador Nides also declines to label the murders a terrorist attack.
________________________________________
IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis
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Arab-Israeli relations
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Elisha Anteman, age 18, from the settlement of Eli in the central West Bank was buried late Tuesday night at the cemetery in his hometown.
