Campus Campaign Threatens, Smears pro-Israel Students

A pro-Israel organization is warning of a malicious campaign by pro-Palestinian groups that paints Zionism in the worst possible light.

The new campaign that has emerged on a few college campuses attempts to smear Zionism, equating it to "white supremacy" and "fascism." StandWithUs says it's clear what the objective is: to create a "toxic campus atmosphere" for anyone – including faculty and staff – who support Israel's right to sovereign equality among the world's nations.

"There were a number of statements that came out that appeared to call for violence, a call to action against Zionism in correlation to 'white supremacy' and 'fascism,'" explains Ron Krudo, executive director of campus affairs with StandWithUs.

He calls it "grotesquely racist" to compare the movement for Jewish liberation and self-determination to ideologies that support oppression and genocide against Jews.

"We're really trying to get the administrations to make a statement against [the call for violence] because that's really something that's the most concerning aspect of this."

Though statements of condemnation from university officials may not have much force, Krudo contends they could be useful.

"I think it at least gives some type of statement of support and standing that if violence is taken or next actions are stated or another comment is made, that we can take it to the university standards and really hold the university accountable."

This smear campaign has been seen at Tufts University, New York University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Krudo says it may yet appear on some other campuses as well.

(Kellogg, "Campus campaign threatens, smears pro-Israel students,” OneNewsNow Online, 10/12/17).