Pro-Israel Students Deserve Pain, Suffering

If the Boston area is typical, JTA reporter Ben Harris distorts the report below in order to imply that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitic, for he neglects to mention that most of the anti-Israel leaders and activists on-campus are Jewish.

According to Boston-area anti-Zionists not only are Jewish Zionists and their non-Jewish panderers the enemies of Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Americans and the entire human race, but Zionism is nothing other than ethnic Ashkenazi Nazism, and it is simply racist to believe that Jews of all people on the planet could not be Nazis.

Because Jews are more likely to know the details and understand the issues in the conflict over Palestine, Jews often take the lead in the struggle against Zionism and in targeting Zionists, i.e., Jewish Nazis, for completely legitimate and much deserved abuse and scorn.

In many regards, the on-campus conflict marks a resumption in the wake of the IDF rampage through Gaza of 19th and 20th century political struggles between Zionist and anti-racist Jews.

Jewish, pro-Israel students feel threatened on college campuses
By BEN HARRIS JTA

NEW YORK—At York University in Toronto, a group of students had to be escorted from the Hillel office by campus police on Feb. 11 after a threatening mob shouting anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slogans gathered outside.

At New York University, a group of students occupied a campus building and issued a series of demands that included measures supportive of the Palestinians. Similar demands were issued by students during a demonstration at the University of Rochester.

And at San Jose State University in California, Israel's consul general had to be escorted from a lecture hall by security officials after audience members grew agitated.

These are a few of the incidents that have galvanized Jewish organizations that say the climate on campus is unlike anything they have ever seen. The organizations note particularly the physical threats to and intimidation of Jewish and pro-Israel students.

"Jewish students are not comfortable and they're not feeling secure," Daniel Ferman, president of the York Hillel, told JTA. "But I think most importantly though, they're not happy with the situation. I think they're disappointed that there hasn't been more action. The university administration needs to take responsibility for its campus and ensure that it's a safe environment for all students."

Compared to the animus frequently directed toward Israelis in Europe, where calls for academic and cultural boycotts have become routine and even sports competitions involving Israelis attract scores of rock-throwing protesters—the situation at American campuses is relatively tame. But those involved in pro-Israel activism at U.S. colleges remain concerned that the situation is worsening, with rhetoric and tactics once thought rare in North America gaining increasing traction.

"There are a couple of things that make this rise unique and worrisome in my eyes," said David Harris, director of the Israel on Campus Coalition, a partnership featuring nearly three dozen Jewish organizations. "One is that we're seeing anti-Israel activity on campuses like Cornell and Queens College that have not for years seen meaningful anti-Israel activity."

A second trend Harris noted is "confrontational and physically harassing tactics in campus and the spread of uncivil dialogue on the West Coast and moving eastward."

California campuses have long been a source of concern for the pro-Israel community.

The campus situation has caught the attention of a number of Jewish groups. The David Project for Jewish Leadership, the Anti-Defamation League, Stand With Us, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Hillel have launched separate efforts to support Jewish students and counter pro-Palestinian activity on campus.

Most of the efforts focus on providing educational materials and other resources to enable Jewish students to counter the anti-Israel messaging.

But Jon Loew, the founder of the pro-Israel Fuel For Truth, which operates extensively on campus through its Old Skool program, said the nature and volume of the requests his group receives demands a more aggressive response.

"The aggressive protests that are being organized by our enemies need to be met with an equal or greater response from our side. I'd like to see an alternative suggestion by any other member of our community."

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