Dozens of Arab students demonstrated on Monday at the entrance to Tel Aviv University, expressing support for the terrorists who were eliminated by the IDF in Jenin (At Least 8 PA Arabs Killed in Jenin Shootout with Terrorists). The students waved Palestinian flags, and called for violence, chanting:
“In the name of a forceful national unity, we will not stop even if there are a thousand funerals every day / the declaration of intifada and victory came out of Jaffa.”
The reference to Jaffa instead of Tel Aviv obviously signified their denial of Tel Aviv’s right to exist – even though the city’s land was purchased in 1909, well before there were any mainstream mentions of the name “Palestine” as a nationality. At the same time, Tel Aviv University was built on the deserted village of Shaykh Muwannis whose residents fled in 1948 – just keep this in your hat the next time you demand that Israeli settlers abandon their lands in the “occupied territories.”
Yoseph Haddad, an Israeli Arab journalist, disabled IDF veteran, social activist, advocate on behalf of Israel, and CEO of the “Together – Arabs for each other” association that works to connect the Arab sector to Israeli society, gave the demonstrators a piece of his mind:
The demonstrators, who are Israeli Arabs enjoying all the benefits of Israeli citizenship and wouldn’t dream of uniting with their brothers and sisters in Jenin (especially if they’re LGBTQ), also chanted: “O shahid lie down, lie down, we will continue the fight, Temple Mount’s gate is made of steel and we will not open it. O settler, you coward, it’s Jenin that cannot be defeated, from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Also: “Listen, Zionists, listen, Palestine will not surrender, to the streets, you revolutionaries, set the streets on fire!”
And the classic: “With spirit and blood we will redeem Palestine!”
The TAU Spokesperson’s Office issued a special statement regarding the rally Monday afternoon, saying:
Dear All,
A protest rally was held outside the University’s gates, organized by several political and student groups.
Here is the official response of the University:
“Tel Aviv University is proud to be the largest and most pluralistic university in Israel.
“The University calls upon its students to refrain from statements that could encourage violence or harm to innocent people. Regarding the demonstration, it must be stressed that the event is being held in a public space outside of the University, with a police permit. The University did not approve either the demonstration or its message. Moreover, should there be calls to violence at the demonstration, the University unequivocally rejects them.”
Good to know.
Several dozen students from the Im Tirtzu movement faced the Arab demonstrators and waved Israeli flags. Shai Rosengarten, Im Tirtzu’s National Campus Coordinator, said he and his colleagues “demand that the supporters of terrorists be banned immediately. Students who demonstrate in favor of terrorists should be immediately removed from the public space; this is a life-threatening situation for students.”
MK Almog Cohen (Im Tirtzu) was in attendance as well and had a confrontation with a protestor after he tried to grab a PLO flag (see video above).
