Protesters gather at the Freedom Plaza during the National March on Washington for Palestine while calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on November 4, 2023 in Washington, DC. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Brandeis University recently decided to withdraw recognition of the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Removing a student group from campus should only be done as a last resort, and it’s not something to be celebrated. There must be space on campus for nuanced discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and groups supporting terrorism should have no place in that conversation.

SJP is perhaps the most vocal and organized pro-Palestinian group on U.S. campuses. It also has a long history of blurring the line between non-violent and violent activism. In explaining its decision, the university pointed to SJP’s support for Hamas following the Oct. 7 terror attack and barbaric massacre of innocent women, men and children from several countries, including Holocaust survivors. Hamas is still holding at least 250 civilians, including children, hostage. Dozens of Arab citizens of Israel were also killed, hurt or captured.

Brandeis University’s decision to withdraw recognition from SJP on Nov. 6 shows unequivocally that supporting terrorism and creating a hostile campus environment has consequences. It also emphasizes that there’s a big difference between groups that meaningfully advocate for Palestinians without calling for violence against Jews and wiping Israel off the map, and groups that do.

The Brandeis chapter of SJP has not been subtle in their support of Hamas. Two days after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel, SJP Brandeis declared on social media that “Palestinian resistance is a multifaceted struggle” that includes “armed resistance.” They called Hamas “resistance fighters” who “have shown their humanity” and said that they support “the resistance movements that aim to liberate our land from the river to the sea.”

SJP Brandeis’ full-throated support of terrorism echoed comments a Hamas official made earlier this month, when he declared, “We will do this again and again … we are proud to sacrifice martyrs …on Oct. 7, Oct. 10, Oct. 1 million — everything we do is justified.”

When announcing a vigil to take place in a campus student center on Nov. 6, SJP made it clear that the mourning would be for “the martyrs of Gaza” and further proclaimed “Glory to our martyrs.” The event was clearly intended to mourn not only innocent Palestinian lives in Gaza, but also the terrorists who perpetrated the violent attack.

Had SJP Brandeis planned a vigil for innocent civilians, it could have been a unifying moment on campus. The bombardment of Gaza is heartbreaking. But people of conscience should not partner with a group that aligns itself with terrorism as SJP has. If a campus group were to chant “Death to Arabs” or praise Jewish violence targeting innocent Palestinians in the West Bank (as is tragically happening), or attempt to justify such violence, then that rhetoric, too, should disqualify them from participating in campus life.

I sent an email to Hillel’s student list on Nov. 5, the day before SJP’s planned vigil, in response to concerned students. I asked students who would find SJP’s event distressing and insensitive not to attend it, and not to disrupt it. I wrote that the last thing we needed was an escalation between students on campus, and that counterprotesting would draw more attention to SJP’s message. This wasn’t a concession or a call to hide our Jewishness, but to stay above the fray. “Arguing with haters and detractors won’t serve any constructive purpose,” I wrote.

I offered my advice in the spirit of an important principle: Just because you have the right to do something (in this case, protest) does not mean you have to exercise that right. As an alternative, we offered a dinner and discussion with Jonathan D. Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history, about the university’s long-standing ties to Israel. I also offered my support to any students who were struggling academically due to the current situation and needed assistance communicating with their professors.

In response, SJP took to social media to call my approach “racist,” “dehumanizing” and “divisive.” They called for and threatened “all necessary action against” me by name. In the context of serious rising antisemitic incidents on campuses, local law enforcement was concerned enough to assign me personal security for the day of the vigil.

Many Hillels find ways to educate about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For years at Brandeis we’ve hosted Israelis and Palestinians on campus. They model respectful disagreement and talk about how to actually improve the lives of those in the region. We’re fortunate to have leading academics at the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis who educate about Israel with nuance and respect. We also have the Crown Center for Middle East Studies with numerous professors offering expertise in the region. I’ve led trips for student leaders of different backgrounds to Israel and the West Bank, as have colleagues at other leading Hillel foundations.

One of the best ways for university students to understand the region is to engage directly with Palestinians and Israelis. Unfortunately, SJP’s calls for violence against Jews erode civil discourse on campus. Their rhetoric and tactics do not promote listening or mutual respect. What we need is more nuanced discussion about how to make things better for people in the region and on our campuses. A genuine culture of learning and respect takes a lot of effort on the part of everyone on campus.

Campuses should be safe places for all students alike — Jewish and Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian — to live, learn, and thrive.

To contact the author, email opinion@forward.com.

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