“Frequently during Israeli Apartheid Week and BDS campaigns, Jewish students are singled out, harassed, intimidated and even assaulted, regardless of their feelings on Israel. Jewish students report feeling afraid to display their Jewish Star necklaces, wear their Jewish sorority or fraternity letters, or walk to Hillel for Shabbat dinner during these heightened weeks.” This is unconscionable in itself, and even worse given the official sanction that craven university officials all over the country give to this behavior.
“‘Apartheid Week’ really does threaten Israel, some experts warn,” by Matt Lebovic, Times of Israel, March 18, 2016:
BOSTON — For more than a decade, “Israeli Apartheid Week” has appeared at dozens of campuses worldwide, as the Jewish state’s detractors take center-stage to condemn the “settler-colonial project” where “apartheid policies over the Palestinian people” amount to “ethnic cleansing,” according to IAW’s mission statement.
In the assessment of some Israel supporters, loud elements of the pro-Israel community have made mountains out of molehills with their reaction to IAW, the annual Israel-bashing fest of Students for Justice in Palestine. In the words of an anonymous “Northeast Hillel director” quoted by JTA this week, “Apartheid Week” and other SJP activities amount to “kind of a big nothing.
“Many pro-Israel activists say their most successful strategy is simply to ignore it,” said Nadya Drukker, Brooklyn College’s Hillel director, in the article.
But on another part of the pro-Israel PR spectrum, some activists vehemently oppose an “ignore it” strategy, and are ringing alarms about the growth of campus anti-Semitism catalyzed by SJP’s supposedly “big nothing” activities — notably including the group’s quest to eliminate Jews from student government, aided by partners like Palestine Legal.
“Israeli Apartheid Week is a tremendous source of anti-Semitic expression and incitement of hatred for the Jewish state and Jews generally,” said Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, cofounder and director of the Israel advocacy AMCHA Initiative.
As SJP’s most publicized anti-Israel fest, IAW icons include the ugly gray apartheid wall, usually covered in “facts” to demonize Israel; mock Israeli military “check-points” set up to “simulate” the daily lives of Palestinians, and ubiquitous calls to “de-normalize” relations with Israel and implement BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against the Jewish state. (IAW is held in various countries worldwide between February and April; in the US this year, it is largely taking place between March 27 and April 3.)
Since its creation in 2005 by Arab students in Toronto, rolling “Apartheid Weeks” have taken place on North American campuses during the spring semester, with funding and guidance from the far-left Jewish Voice for Peace. For Jewish college students who visibly identify as such, the annual hate-fest can be a dreaded ordeal.
“Frequently during Israeli Apartheid Week and BDS campaigns, Jewish students are singled out, harassed, intimidated and even assaulted, regardless of their feelings on Israel,” Rossman-Benjamin told The Times of Israel in an interview. “Jewish students report feeling afraid to display their Jewish Star necklaces, wear their Jewish sorority or fraternity letters, or walk to Hillel for Shabbat dinner during these heightened weeks,” she said.
Last week, AMCHA released study findings that correlate BDS activities and anti-Semitic incidents on American campuses. From swastikas spray-painted onto the porches of Jewish fraternities, to students being punched at pro-Israel gatherings, the study called BDS a key driver of anti-Semitic incidents at dozens of universities. On some campuses, faculty and administrators actively support SJP and the BDS movement, adding fuel — and badly needed legitimacy — to anti-Israel fires….

Richie says
Antisemitism is rife on the left. and Jew bashing is socially acceptable amongst leftists. of course they usually say ‘I don’t hate Jews, I hate Zionists’. They hate Jews, and they want the state of Israel destroyed. That is why the left is so sympathetic to Islamic jihad, they share their hatred of Jews
Watching the signs says
I remember learning about the rise of Hitler and the Nuremberg Laws. Nothings changed, just the name and justification of the movement. Leftist Jews are self hating koppos and will only have themselves to blame. The Bolsheviks killed all their helper Yevisectsia Jews that ratted out members of their community, thinking they’d be immune. History’s repeating itself. Just a weak ago my husband had s/o shouting at him that “we don’t want you here, you’re a cancer” here in NJ, not a Muslim. It’s spreading and fast! What will happen when there are no more Jews to pick on and there’s still no utopia?
Marty says
Hitler was a leftist in many ways, after all he was a National Socialist.
The more traditional leftists claim to be international in outlook, but most
are essentially searching for under dogs to support.
In the UK this was traditionally the proletariat, but with the coming of the Welfare State they moved on to non whites & assorted immigrants.
When they decided that the new victims of choice must be mohammedans,
the fact that islam is intrinsically way to the right of Nazism on every single issue was ignored.
Jew hatred (& mysoginy), are at the heart of islam.
It follows, that Jew hatred becomes a core value of UK leftists, and probably the Continental & American versions.
Peter Charles says
Richie, you are quite right. The left is disgraceful in this matter.
wildjew says
Donald Trump said Wednesday that he thinks “Islam hates us” and said it’s “hard to separate” the religion from radical offshoots.
“There’s an unbelievable hatred of us,” Trump told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
March 09, 2016, 10:04 pm
A mere eleven days later:
‘Trump ahead of AIPAC speech: Peace deal (with Islamic jihadists) in Israel’s interests’
RonaldB says
Trump said he’d be a neutral peace broker.
I don’t see that as a big deal. The Obama administration, as you know, exerted pressure for Israel to renege on its own interests, and concede concrete terms for Palestinian promises.
With Trump, as I interpret his statement, it will be up to the Israeli leaders themselves to define their own terms. Do you think they are incapable of defending their own interests? The role of the US would be to make sure the terms were laid out explicitly and that they were enforceable. The US would not be able to broker an agreement if it became involved in the terms themselves. That is the job of the Israeli leaders.
The concrete test for a Trump administration would be whether the US would use its special status as the diplomatic defender is Israel to pressure Israel into disadvantageous terms. The UN would happily condemn Israel and declare sanctions against it, except for the US veto. Western countries, including France and Britain, would enforce sanctions against Israel, except for the US laws making it illegal for US companies to do business with companies enforcing a boycott of Israel. The concrete test of a Trump mediation would be, would he use this leverage, or would he simply allow both sides to present their own terms?
wildjew says
RonaldB, I mean no disrespect. Why do you believe there is something to broker or negotiate between (using Pamela’s term) Islamic “savages” and Israel? I find neutrality – the unwillingness to take sides – between good and evil, evil in and of itself. I would never say I cannot take sides between good and evil. That past presidents (even Republican presidents) have tried to negotiate a settlement with Islamic savages, whether it be the phony “Palestinians” or the Iranians, does not make it right. Does it? I have long called for Israel to wean herself from this unhealthy dependency on the U.S. I am talking about aid. It would be good for the U.S. and it would be good for Israel. Israel survived an arms embargo between the 1948 War of Independence and the early nineteen sixties. Somehow she managed to survive.
gravenimage says
Trump proves over and over again that his understanding of the Jihad threat is partial at best.
His refusal to defend the First Amendment and our great ally the state of Israel are two of his most disturbing failings.
Angemon says
Shocking, but not surprising:
REPORT: America’s college campuses a hotbed of anti-Semitism
http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=7379
There goes the “it’s not anti-Semitism, it’s just anti-Zionism and anti-Israeli-policies” excuse…
greyhound fancier says
Pretty poor ethnic cleansing! According to the Arabs, they are growing like Topsy, a sign of well-being. If ethnic cleansing were occurring, you’d expect the Arab ranks to diminish.
Jack Holan says
I understand times have changed since the dinosaur age when I was an undergraduate but most us, even those who were particularly capable or physical looking, would not have taken it and for sure an assault would have been answered within a second. This is not a put down nor a brag. I believe one major difference were born 7years after Auschwitz 4 years after Israel’s Independence and we grew up in a neighborhood of survivors. If confronted by overwhelming force we would have organized an answer, traveling in groups whatever.
Dov Berrol says
The lies and “blood libels” and distortions spewed out by Jew haters, especially Mohammedans, are very difficult to challenge due to the lopsided numbers favouring the Arabs. There are about 1.5 billion Mohammedans on the planet, and only about 15 million Jews. Do the math. For every Jew defending Israel’s right to exist in safety, there are at least 100 Muslims ready to perform their holy taquiyya duties. And they know that when a lie is repeated long enough it can morph into the truth for a lot of well-meaning but gullible westerners. Jewish university students will soon have to attend schools in Israel so that they can learn in peace. Ever wonder why universities in Muslim-majority countries never make it to the “top 100” lists of universities?
Jack Dawkins says
You mean leap out of the frying pan into the fire?
mortimer says
Article says: “Many pro-Israel activists say their most successful strategy is simply to ignore it,”
Right. They tried that when Hitler came to power…they did nothing…assumed it would pass soon…assumed they were not serious.
We cannot assume the cultural Marxists and Muslims don’t want to continue the Holocaust.
gravenimage says
Mortimer wrote:
We cannot assume the cultural Marxists and Muslims don’t want to continue the Holocaust.
…………………….
True. In fact, we know that Muslims love to taunt Jews with threats about a new Holocaust. Here’s just one:
“Anti-Semitic Muslim Protesters Chant ‘Heil Hitler’ in London”
http://www.investigativeproject.org/4504/anti-semitic-muslim-protesters-chant-heil-hitler#
There are many, many more.
Hope says
This is not taking place only on college campuses. The fact is that several liberal Protestant denominations in America are actively supporting the BDS movement. Chief among these is the United Church of Christ (UCC). Of course, I had to go online to learn this, it’s not something the pastor is going to openly admit during her Sunday morning sermon. This issue has caused me to withdraw my membership in the church. Christians may want to do some investigating: Is the church you attend a proponent of BDS? Where is your money going once you place it in the collection basket?
RonaldB says
This is a very good point, and it presents a dilemma for the organized Jewish leadership in the US. The largest Jewish organizations, organs of reform Judaism, pursue a hard-left agenda, the same as the Church of Christ, the Methodists, and others. While the Union for Reform Judaism supports Israel, its natural allies on all issues of “social Justice” and cultural Marxism support the BDS movement.
http://www.urj.org/blog/2014/06/19/divestment-vote-undermines-presbyterian-jewish-relations
http://www.bdsinthepews.org/about.html
TamIAm says
The student Union leaders and profs and school admins are such hypocrites. Look at all the initiatives they have to stop “Islamophobia” and all the lengths they go to to stop any speakers from coming to campus who might spark “anti-Muslim” sentiment (which is often just honest criticism of Islam). Look at how much they militantly promote “diversity” and stifle anyone challenging the holy dogma of multiculturalism because students have to feel “safe”. However, when it comes to Jewish students this level of “feeling unsafe” is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged:
“Frequently during Israeli Apartheid Week and BDS campaigns, Jewish students are singled out, harassed, intimidated and even assaulted, regardless of their feelings on Israel,” Rossman-Benjamin told The Times of Israel in an interview. “Jewish students report feeling afraid to display their Jewish Star necklaces, wear their Jewish sorority or fraternity letters, or walk to Hillel for Shabbat dinner during these heightened weeks,” she said.
Last week, AMCHA released study findings that correlate BDS activities and anti-Semitic incidents on American campuses. From swastikas spray-painted onto the porches of Jewish fraternities, to students being punched at pro-Israel gatherings, the study called BDS a key driver of anti-Semitic incidents at dozens of universities. On some campuses, faculty and administrators actively support SJP and the BDS movement, adding fuel — and badly needed legitimacy — to anti-Israel fires….”
RonaldB says
I think recent history has shown that leftist groups center around some cause or another for a base, but their real purpose is to promote cultural Marxism and the destruction of Western culture.
For example, the feminist organizations have website after website on the tiny (if it exists at all) discrepancy between male and female salaries. Yet, these organizations have virtually nothing to say on the very real suppression of women under Islam. The only conclusion is that these organization, such as the National Organization for Women, have no interest in the real status of women, except as a handle to promote Marxist social justice.
Similarly, the Black Lives Matter has no interest in the vast increase of murders of blacks concurrent with the stepping down of police due to the persecution from the Obama Justice Department. The conclusion is that black lives matter only when publicizing them is useful for the promotion of racial identity politics.
It is hard to avoid the suspicion that for the mainstream Jewish groups, Jewish lives really don’t matter that much if defending them involves opposing the multi-cultural, Marxist agenda of the hard left.
Hope says
All very good points, RonaldB.
Charli Main says
These so called ” Palestinian ” people are nothing but the descendants of Muslim invaders from Saudi Arabia. They have no more right to Palestine, than the descendants of the Muslim invaders of Spain, have to Spain.
These so called ” Palestinians” are among the most loathsome people on the planet.
Custos Custodum says
Actually, today’s “Palestinians” are in large part the descendants of assorted non-Arab and even non-Muslim riffraff who happened to settle in the area during the Ottoman era. There was another massive influx during the 1920s and 1930s when early Zionist settlement brought a dramatic boost in civilization and wealth to the area.
Palestinians are loathed and feared throughout the Arab world and treated with open contempt. Like other non-Arab Muslims (e.g. Pakistanis), some educated Palestinians are hired by Arabs for jobs that require a modicum of intelligence. However, Arabs are well aware that Palestinians are merely waiting for a chance to betray their hosts as seen during the “Black September” episode and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
Islam_Macht_Frei says
If you know any BDS-tards, make encourage them to do it right – see this site for details:
BDSguide.com
Then bid them adieu, because if they are sincere and not hypocritical in their commitment to BDS, they will be going off line and dark i general.
If you continue to see them on line, be sure to thank them for their support of Israel!! 🙂
Jay Boo says
It is time for BDS against Germany not Israel.
Boycott Germany.
Help save Germans from their government.
Stop buying their crappy German cars.
Fewer jobs means they wont be able to hide away the Muslim problem with stealth software to rig any inspection of the truth.
DFD says
Hilarious! I have seen some hate-crazed remarks recently, but this one’s the best, priceless.
Poor chap, now get back onto your scooter.
Shmooviyet says
Once again reminded of the rotund MSA member at San Diego answering David Horowitz’s question.
Jay Boo says
Muslims have no business in Jerusalem.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/muhammad/jerusalem.aspx
(Muhammad’s Night Journey)
If his horse/donkey/mule — indeterminate equine were female —
Then Muhammad would have been riding on a (NIGHT MARE)
gravenimage says
Jewish students frequently harassed and assaulted during Israeli Apartheid Week
…………………
This is disgusting–but should surprise no one.