How many times have we seen bullying take place but we have done nothing about it? How many times have we let the bullies get away with their actions, or just gave them a warning because we wanted to keep everything quiet and not cause drama?
In the past years not even one community on campuses across the country was bullied more than Jewish / Pro Israel community. The scary part is that it wasn't just bullying, it was organized bullying. It was bullying with a lot of money behind it, it was a network of bullying that worked together across the nation. The bullies were a different kind of bully, they had the courage to pretend that they are the victims, at the same time they went out on our campuses and "educated" for hate, discrimination, and radicalism.
This year there were many instances all over the country where Pro-Israel students were bullied by members of Students for Justice for Palestine (SJP).
At Hunter College in NYC members of Students for Justice in Palestine at Hunter College chanted against the Jewish administration, anti-Semitic chants that crossed many red lines, chants that were never heard before at Hunter College.
At San Francisco State University the mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat - ניר ברקתwas shouted down by members of General Union of Palestine Students -GUPS SFSU and wasn't allowed to speak.
Where is the freedom of speech? Where is the common courtesy and civil behavior? Can SJP only shout down others and bully? Are they unable to advance their claims through reasoned and civil debate?
At the University of Maryland members of Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Maryland disturbed the Israeli Independence Day celebrations on campus, they couldn't face the idea that he Jewish State can exist. Yes, just to exist is too much for them.
At the University of Minnesota members of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP UMN) shouted down an Israeli professor, the University has done nothing about it. SJP sponsored it, was proud of it, and planned for it to happen. That same month they started a hatred campaign against Israel in student government claiming it had nothing to do with Israel. They attack white students, claim Jewish students aren't a minority, and are overtly BEING RACIST and nothing was done about it.
At University of California, Irvine Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at UC Irvine hosted anti-Zionist week, shouting down a Pro-Israel event, screaming at Ppro-Israel students, not letting Israel events happen, calling for a VIOLENT UPRAISING against Israelis - INTIFADA - SUPPORTING TERROR and nothing was done about it.
At The University of Chicago members of SJP passed an anti-Israeli resolution targeting the only country in the Middle East that does more than any other country support human rights. They passed it, and people believed to what they had to say.
SJP tries to separate the Jewish identity from Israel and scare Jewish students on campuses letting them know that supporting Israel isn't the right thing to do.
The administrations are ignoring the hate, racism and discrimination of anti-Israel “activists”, in the name of freedom of speech, they ignore the calls of the Pro-Israel students to take action, and they let the bullies on campus keep bully, take control of the conversations, and intimidate.
I have never in my life seen a hate group like Students for Justice in Palestine that in many cases defends terrorists, calls for the end of the Jewish State, calls for the murder of Israeli soldiers, shouts down events on campus and still gets away with that...
In Hebrew there is a saying" Im Ain Ani Lee, Mi Lee?" If I won't defend myself, who will defend me, and I can see this happening on our college campuses. If the Pro Israel students won't stand together as a united voice, will keep being divided, and will let SJP control the conversation we won't get anywhere, we should be each other’s support system, we will solve our problems and the attacks on us, no one else will.
We have red lines too, I have never in my life been more proud to be Israeli and to support Israel than my time on campus where I faced that hate, antisemitism, and ignorance that was supported by students, professors, and followers of SJP. At the same time, we were willing to step up and defend Israel against hate and racism, we have red lines too, we won't sit around and do nothing about it.
Together, we will put an end to SJP intimidation, hate and racism. Together, we will change the conversation on campus, because not even one person will come to our events and shout them down, without consequences to their actions. Not even one campus will host an Anti Zionism week, a week of overt racism and anti-Semitism against the national movement of the Jewish people, and get away with it.
Stop the hate. Stop the racism led by SJP. Stop the calls for terror on our campuses. #BeThere_SSI.