Anti-Israel NGOs threaten to 'seize' campuses across USA to 'force' BDS

• Published date: 20 April 2024
• Author: MICHAEL STARR
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

"The supposed power of our administrators is nothing compared to the strength of the united students, staff, and faculty committed to realizing justice and upholding Palestinian liberation on campus," National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) wrote on social media. "

In the footsteps of our comrades at Rutgers-New Brunswick SJP, Tufts SJP, and Columbia SJP, we will seize our universities and force the administration to divest for the people of Gaza! Join the Popular University, take back our institutions!"

Student groups call for action

SJP and the Palestinian Youth Movement published a similar call to action on Friday, telling chapters across the US to be prepared for internal communications for further action. The graphics showed tents with the banner "liberated zone," as appeared in the occupation of campus grounds at Columbia. The graphic was titled "From Columbia to our universities."

At the same time as SJP made the Saturday call to action, other national pro-Palestinian and left-wing activist groups endorsed the call to action.

Within Our Lifetime, responsible for many of the major protests that have caused major disruptions in New York City, made nearly identical statements to the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and Jewish Voice for Peace in which they said they were "committed to supporting and aiding them in their actions and demonstrations."

Democratic Socialists of America and Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, allegedly associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist group, joined with graphics that stated "we are all SJP."

Analyst Eitan Fischberger said that there was an alarming level of coordination between the groups, who all posted the messages within minutes of one another.

"This isn't a coincidence," said Fischberger. "Far from just voicing solidarity, these groups are likely also collaborating on strategy, resources, and coordinated action across campuses."

At Yale University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill encampments were set up on Friday, according to Yalies 4 Palestine and SJP UNC SJP. According to the groups' social media, they have continued to occupy campus ground into Saturday. Tufts University SJP set up an "apartheid wall" art installation on Friday, adding to the tents that have stood for several days.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) said that it continued to maintain its encampment at the campus, where coalition members SJP and JVP were...