The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (the Brandeis Center) have jointly issued an urgent letter to university presidents across the United States, urging them to investigate the activities of their campus chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) for potential ties to terrorism.
The letter, on Wednesday, comes in the wake of a significant increase in anti-Israel activity on US college campuses, following a harrowing event on October 7 where Hamas orchestrated an attack resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 Israeli citizens, residents, and tourists. The attack also led to thousands of injuries and over 200 hostages, including children and Holocaust survivors.
The ADL letter stated that SJP, a network of student groups spread across the US, is known to disseminate anti-Israel propaganda, which has recently seen a spike in its inflammatory rhetoric. Several of SJP's campus chapters have reportedly endorsed Hamas's actions and have made radical calls against Zionism. Some chapters have also been found promoting violent anti-Israel messaging.
The ADL and the Brandeis Center express serious concerns over SJP's Day of Resistance events, where the group allegedly provided its chapters with materials that regard the Hamas-led attack as "the resistance." Additionally, the letter cited instances where students at these events declared, “We are Hamas,” and “We echo Hamas.”
In light of these concerns, the organizations called for an immediate investigation into SJP chapters for possible violations, including potential funding from improper sources, breaches of the school code of conduct, and violations of state or federal laws that prohibit material support to foreign terrorist organizations.
Terrorist designation
Hamas has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Secretary of State of the United States since 1997.
The organizations emphasized the importance of ensuring that Jewish students "feel safe and free from harassment," and discrimination on campus. They also reiterate their commitment to the First Amendment rights of students but express their deep concern about potential material support to a designated terrorist organization.
The letter, signed by Jonathan Greenblatt (CEO and National Director of ADL), Alyza D. Lewin (President of the Brandeis Center), and Kenneth L. Marcus (Founder and Chairman of the Brandeis Center), urged university leaders to take a firm stance against antisemitism and any form of support for terrorism on their campuses.