Pro-Israel coalition urges universities to 'reverse' agreements made with encampment groups: 'Deeply concerned'
A coalition of pro-Israel groups urged American universities to reverse agreements that administrators made with encampment protesters during the spring semester.
A coalition of pro-Israel groups urged American universities to reverse agreements that administrators made with encampment protesters during the spring semester.
StandWithUs, a pro-Israel education organization, organized the letter which includes the National Jewish Advocacy Center, Zachor Legal Institute, The Lawfare Project, and other groups.
The coalition wrote the letter after universities around America allowed anti-Israel encampments to last for months before either being shut down or reaching an agreement with the protesters.
”We are horrified by the unabashed bigotry, anti-American and anti-Jewish vitriol, and unlawful activity promoted and conducted by these agitators,” the groups wrote, referring to the anti-Israel campus encampment protesters.
Among other requests, the pro-Israel groups asked university administrators across America to reverse agreements made with the encampment protesters.
”We urge your administration to disavow any agreements made with representatives of the encampment or similar groups and issue a clear statement that your administration will not agree to such tactics in the future,” the groups wrote.
At Rutgers University, for example, university administrators and anti-Israel encampment protesters reached an agreement to end the occupation of university space.
Rutgers agreed to “implement support for 10 displaced Palestinian students to finish their education,” create an Arab Culture Center, enter a partnership with Birzeit University in Ramallah, work towards the creation of a Department of Palestinian studies, and more.
According to KTSP, encampment protesters at the University of Minnesota also reached a deal with administrators.
Administrators agreed to allow the anti-Israel encampment organizers to meet with the Board of Regents on May 10 to argue why the university should divest from companies doing business in Israel. Protest leaders will also meet biweekly with university administrators.
The pro-Israel organizations also called on colleges and universities to enforce laws and their own policies following the encampment protests and upcoming protests in the fall semester.
Additionally, the groups call on American colleges and universities to “publicly refuse calls to engage in academic/economic boycotts and divestment activities against Israel and its supporters.”
”We urge you to take remedial action before the next semester begins so that your Jewish and Israeli students may resume their studies without incident, free from a hostile learning environment, and without the necessity of further action to vindicate their rights and ensure their protection,” the groups wrote.
