Dear University Presidents:
As CEO of ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), I’m writing to express our shock and concern regarding an upcoming Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) event titled “National Day of Resistance,” scheduled to take place on campuses across the country this Thursday, October 12, 2023.
Based on the promotional materials we have seen, this planned “resistance” appears to include an endorsement of terrorism and violence (cloaked in other words) in Israel – violence that included the targeting of young children, older people, and other civilians in surprise attacks over the weekend, which culminated in the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
The call to action and the messaging directives outlined in the event’s toolkit call for “dismantling Zionism” and “normaliz[ing]” and supporting Hamas’s “resistance in Palestine,” which they describe as “both morally just and politically necessary.” In other words, the national leadership of SJP and many of the organization’s campus chapters are condoning terrorism by Hamas by repackaging it as justified acts of “resistance” – even though such attacks against civilians this weekend included kidnappings, murders, and reported threats to execute civilian hostages. Such conduct is, by any and all standards, absolutely unconscionable. The attempt to gloss over these atrocities and shift the narrative by using the term “resistance” does not change the facts on the ground. They are furthermore demonizing those in the campus community who consider themselves Zionists or supporters of Zionism. The majority of Jews, whatever their political viewpoints, consider a connection to Israel and Zionism part of their Jewish identity. More information regarding the “Day of Resistance” can be found here.
Although the tactics being promoted by SJP appear to be non-violent, they raise the real possibility of creating a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students, staff and faculty. There are also concerns that these actions could lead to isolated acts of harassment or violence targeting Jewish students and organizations, especially at a time of rising antisemitic incidents on campuses across the country. Immediate action by your administration is critical.
We call on you to take the following immediate steps:
- Call out the so-called “day of resistance” for what it is: a glorification of the violence targeting civilians in Israel. We urge you to condemn this in clear terms. Although the planned event may include First-Amendment-protected activity such as protests or marches, nothing prevents the university from using its own voice to distance itself from this attempt to justify, glorify, and gloss over the terrorist attacks targeting civilians. In doing so, we urge you also to make clear that any and all direct threats, incitement to violence, and/or support of international terrorism are unacceptable.
- Develop a clear safety plan for students, staff, and faculty. The well-being of all students, including Jewish and Israeli students, is of paramount importance in this moment. We encourage the university to work with campus Hillel, relevant administrators, and other key stakeholders, including campus law enforcement, to develop and implement a safety plan for this week’s planned “Day of Resistance” and beyond. This may include clear guidance for students, staff, and faculty navigating campus grounds on the day of the event and addressing concerns related to the physical security of Jewish organizations and institutions that support students on campus.
- Connect with campus Jewish organizations. We ask you to connect with Jewish organizations and leaders serving Jewish students on campus today to immediately offer support, open clear channels of communication, and partner with them to assess and meet their needs on the ground in real time.
- Provide resources. It is also imperative to share campus wellness resources with students, staff, and faculty to ensure the mental and physical well-being of those impacted, both directly and indirectly, by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. In addition, you should ensure that your university’s policies provide for any necessary accommodations for students, staff, and faculty who may have emergencies related to family members in Israel.
- Mandate trainings regarding antisemitism. Unfortunately, as the war continues, this planned day is only the start of what we fear will be an increasingly hostile climate for Jewish students on campuses across the country. Please reach out to ADL for support in urgently implementing the recommendations set forth in the U.S. national strategy to counter antisemitism, as outlined in ADL’s open letter here. These should include but not be limited to incorporating mandatory antisemitism awareness training in new student orientation programming and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programming for students, faculty, and staff, based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (“IHRA”) Working Definition of Antisemitism.
ADL is available as a partner and resource to campuses during this difficult time. We thank you for your attention to this critical issue.