Refuting the BDS campaign on the UCSD campus

By Audrey Jacobs

 

Pro Israel students at UCSD during Israel Solidarity Week

LA JOLLA, California — This is a story of hate, strength and hope.

The global PR war to delegitimize and demonize Israel is raging on college campuses internationally, but it is especially prevalent at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). However, in this darkness, there is light.  Every time Israel is attacked, our pro-Israel students respond with strength, civility, dignity and truth. Through this battle to defend Israel, young Jewish leaders are emerging.

This spring anti-Israel leaders introduced a “divestment” bill to the UCSD student government targeting Israel.  The pro-Israel students lobbied hard and defeated it.  Weeks later the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) group held a “Mock Israeli Check Point” where they physically and verbally harassed students as they pretended to be IDF soldiers. The Tritons for Israel (TFI) group responded with a powerful, silent, visual protest. Click HERE. Then, this past week, SJP and the Muslim Student Association held the annual “Israel Hate Week” and pro-Israel students countered with an equally strong “Israel Solidarity Week.”

 

Students for Justice in Palestine hold a mock Israeli check point at UCSD

 

Pro Israel students at UCSD respond to mock Israeli check point
Pro-Israel students countering mock Israeli check point at UCSD

 

During “Israel Solidarity Week,” TFI exhibited a phenomenal pro-Israel counter display to respond to the lies depicted on the largest “Israel Apartheid Wall” in the world. Click HERE. TFI hosted daily events with speakers including an outstanding “Rescuing Human Rights” panel discussion with Wall Street Journal’s voice of reason Bret Stephens, Muslim reformist leader Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, Human Rights attorney and filmmaker Brooke Goldstein and academic scholar Avi Bell. Mid-week TFI held a Unity Walk where over 100 students proudly marched past the “Apartheid Wall” wearing “This Is What A Zionist Looks Like” shirts and carrying U.S. and Israeli flags. They began by speaking out about being Zionists and their desire for peace for both Israelis and Palestinians and concluded in front of the pro-Israel display singing and dancing to Hebrew songs of peace and the Hatikvah.

Images from the “Israel Apartheid Wall:”

Largest Israel Apartheid Wall at UCSD

Israel Apartheid Wall display at UCSD

The Pro Israel student response:

 

Tritons for Israel display at UCSD

Pro Israel display at UCSD with Obama

Hamas Charter display at Israel Solidarity Week at UCSD

These pro-Israel efforts were possible because of three reasons:

1) UCSD Tritons for Israel students are amazing and they have an incredible leader Daniel Friedman.

2) Hillel has an outstanding full time Israel staff Shaliach Amir Lev who works with the students 24/7 and he’s supported by a great Hillel team.

3) StandWithUs now has a chapter in San Diego and because of our generous donors and global connections, we can provide the additional funding and resources that the students need.  This year Hillel and the students came to StandWithUs asking for help.  Within two months we worked together and raised all the funds needed to implement the students’ vision. StandWithUs’ mission is to empower individuals and communities to stand with Israel. We are grateful we could be here for the pro-Israel students and Hillel in our shared commitment to Israel.

This has been a challenging time for the pro-Israel community and I want to especially thank the students, my staff, my board, donors, photographer Michele Zousmer, the community and especially Hillel for valuing our partnership.  Together we are stronger.

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Jacobs is San Diego regional director of StandWithUs