Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Israeli Apartheid Week, Students for Justice in Palestine, UCLA, February 23, 2011

The recent crackdown against the Muslim Students Association at UC Irvine has obviously influenced the planning for this week's events at UCLA. The "Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA" is simply another name for the university's Muslim Students Association (MSA). Last year, MSA shouted down Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren at UCI, and the university administration subsequently suspended the organization until August 31st, 2011. Plus, at UC San Diego, David Horowitz smacked down local MSA activist Jumanah Imad Albahri, who endorsed a new Holocaust for Jews in Israel. So, in an apparent effort to avoid scrutiny, the latest events at UCLA are called "Palestine Awareness Week," and the MSA is calling itself "Students for Justice in Palestine." But the Apartheid Wall hasn't had a makeover, as far as I can tell. Despite a number posters claiming "non-violent resistance," this Islamist militant with the Kalashnikov and keffiyeh belies the Muslim students' allegedly peaceful motives:

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And of course, the "arch" over the wall's center opening announces the real purpose of the events, BDS: "Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: A Strategy for Israel’s Destruction."

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UCLA's Daily Bruin has the background, "UCLA students hope to educate campus about human rights issues with Palestine Awareness Week." And on Facebook, Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA (SJP at UCLA).

When I first arrived I looked around and noticed two opposing groups in the immediate area. The most conspicuous were the Muslim students, although I first went over and said hello to the young folks from
Bruins for Israel:

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They were just hanging out, enjoying themselves. And they didn't mind being photographed at all:

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It was the exact opposite with the Students for Justice in Palestine. I said hello to a couple of the young ladies, and I asked if I could speak with their lead organizer. I was pointed in the direction of a burly young man named Hamzah Baig. I introduced myself and asked if he'd take questions. He asked "Who's this for"? And I told him I was a blogger with David Horowitz's NewsReal Blog. That didn't seem to phase him at first, so the interview started out pretty casually. I asked him what the goals were for Palestinian Awareness Week. He said that the group wanted to stop Israeli settlements of Palestinian lands and to "end the occupation." Then I asked, "what occupation"? And he said "the West Bank." Okay, I thought, hmm, how about a couple of more challenging questions? So I said "Does your group support terrorism against Israelis?" And Baig practically choked on his Arafat scarf. He told me he wanted to be quoted precisely, and then enunciated very slowly, "our group provides no support for terrorism whatsoever." And I said, oh yeah? What about Hamas? Do you support them? He said, "yeah, sure." And I said, but Hamas is a known terrorist organization. I then mentioned David Horowitz's confrontation with Jumanah Imad Albahri at UC San Diego. And I noted that she wouldn't denounce Hamas and called for the extermination of the Jews. But by this time Baig was getting uptight. He said that "our group has nothing to do with the MSA at UC San Diego. They're totally separate for us." And I said, but aren't you guys MSA here at UCLA? And he said, "yeah, sure, were MSA, but we're separate." I said fine, "will you renounce Hamas right now, will your reject Hamas"? He said "we support Hamas programs of education, food and medicine." "What about terrorism"?, I said. And he again hestitated to respond. I thanked him and asked him if I could take his picture, but he refused. By now he was getting hostile at the questioning and wanted to be away from me. I said, "Why"? "This is a public event, at a public university --- why don't you want to be photographed"? And he just waved me away with his arms and said "no pictures."

I walked around a bit and took a picture of one of the Palestinian women, but then a few minutes later she ran back up to me and said, "I'm uncomfortable that you took my picture. I'm uncomfortable with that." I asked her why, but she just repeated that line, and then Baig came over and gave her the crossed-throat sign not to talk to me, again warning me not take pictures. He walked away for a while and I took a picture from a distance anyway:

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I won't post the young woman's picture although she's featured at the group's Facebook page, at 8 seconds at the Palestinian Awareness Week 2010-11 video. That said, I continued to take pictures of the information table, arguing that this was a public event. I suggested to Baig that he was trying to suppress honest reporting about his organization. He alleged: "You are harassing my people." I told him he was harassing me and trying to suppress the truth. He obviously wasn't pleased at the attention to his pro-terror racket:

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Arafat scarves were on sale for $10.00:

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In any case, here's some photos from the wall. I was pressed for time. I had to head back to the O.C., so I wasn't able to examine the display as closely as I'd have liked. What I did notice wasn't surprising at all. It's all anti-Israel propaganda, completely one-sided, with a few sops to human rights thrown in. The Israeli Apartheid Wall is designed to influence young minds with little knowlege of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Seeing these pictures, it's a 10-to-1 bet that the uninitiated would be horrified at the "brutality," but since there's absolutely no context, it's worthless:

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Again, my photography wasn't as organized as I'd like. But I did dwell on this panel featuring American Rachel Corrie, who was killed in 2003:

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Corrie's a martyr to the global anti-Israel jihad, but common sense tells you not to lie down in front of a bulldozer. See, "The Case Against Rachel Corrie," and "Rachel Corrie, Again."

And here's the big Hamas panel. So much for "peaceful resistance":

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Democratically-elected social workers, but of course the Students for Justice in Palestine weren't handing out copies of the Hamas Charter:

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And notice Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin, founder of Hamas, assassinated by Israel, and obviously a martyr to global jihad. But according to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Yassin was the dominant authority of the Hamas leadership, which was directly involved in planning, orchestrating and launching terror attacks carried out by the organization. In this capacity, Yassin personally gave his approval for the launching of Qassam rockets against Israeli cities, as well as for the numerous Hamas terrorist bombings and suicide operations. In his public appearances and interviews, Yassin called repeatedly for a continuation of the 'armed struggle' against Israel, and for an intensification of the terrorist campaign against its citizens. The successful operation against Yassin constitutes a significant blow to a central pillar of the Hamas terrorist organization, and a major setback to its terrorist infrastructure.
That data wasn't included at the Students for Justice in Palestine information table.

And these panels must be especially repellent to Jews, "ZIONISM IS NOT JUDAISM":

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A couple more photos before I head back home: And note that in all my 25 years as an undergrad, as a graduate student, and a professor, I can't ever recall this prominent of a scriptural banner on the grounds of any campus. This is along the main walk up from the Apartheid Wall. A passage from the Koran (and notice the sponsoring group in the bottom-left corner, "Muslim Union at UCLA"):

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About to head out, here's the group of Muslim students. The women are wearing head coverings and red "Free Palestine/End the Occupation" shirts:

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This sweet young lady said she was majoring in communications and was thinking about Jewish studies:

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Looking back at the wall, on my way to the parking structure:

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More later ...

10 comments:

  1. This is quite a detailed piece. I notice you are partial to Israel. As for the Apartheid accusation: i do not believe it has an immoral bearing. It is just a different set of ethics.

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  2. My first thought is who paid (pays) for all this. It is not just an incidental cost to put a production such as this together.

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  3. Have you ever noticed how people's faces almost always tell one a lot about the individuals involved and by extension the causes they espouse? Take a good look at this series of pictures with real attention to the personas and the relationship to their causes.
    One can notice the same things when comparing a TEA party gathering as opposed to a Leftist and union gathering.
    Maybe as a Senior NCO and later managing people I leaned too much on body language and faces to discern who people are down deep, but I find it striking how one can see the differences. It isn't even subtle.
    See if you can discern the same things I do? I cannot tell you how telling this is from several different stand points.

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  4. Dennis: I felt that I was talking to terrorists. They have so much to hide. Why? What's the problem with discussing your agenda. Posing tough questions, being persistent, that was "harrassment."

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  5. Donald,

    Excellent, original reporting. The Left always supports the clearly evil side of any dispute, so they support the bloodthirsty Palestinians in their "struggle" to kill Jews. I have no sympathy whatsoever for the so-called "Palestinians," who are anti-semitic by nature of their religion and the example of their "prophet."

    Underneath all of the Palestinian posing and propaganda is the truth: they will never be satisfied with any concessions by Israel; only Israel's eradication will satisfy them. Israel shouldn't waste their time negotiating with these barbarians; it should only do what is necessary to survive.

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  6. Stogie any gentile that realises his distinction and does not want to be subjegated to Jews - is an anti-semite.

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  7. Good reporting. I recognize the Wall from its many appearances at UC-Irvine. It actually makes the round of Calif. universities. As for UCI-we get our annual hate fest in May. Last year, the community turned the tables on them and came out by the hundreds to show the US and Israeli flags. Underneath all this is not just anti-Israelism, but anti-Americanism and anti-semitism. Ask how many of these speakers how they feel about America. The answers would amaze you.

    Thanks for reporting on UCLA.

    Gary Fouse
    adj teacher UCI-Ext
    fousesquawk

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  8. The woman in the top photo, the one holding the Kalashnikov, is hijacker Leila Khaled.

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  9. "This is quite a detailed piece. I notice you are partial to Israel. As for the Apartheid accusation: i do not believe it has an immoral bearing. It is just a different set of ethics."

    He is "partial" to right, not wrong. Aren't you?

    I assume not, because to accuse a country where muslims live freely and are even represented in the legislature of "apartheid" is a lie.

    You cannot have different sets of ethics. There is right and there is wrong.

    Re your other comment, you used the phrase "subject ot Jews" or somesuch. There is no place in the world where Jews hold themselves above others. There ARE, however, several countries where Jews (and other non-muslims) are harrased, "subdued" or killed.) These are the apartheid countries of the muslims, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt (thanks, Obama), Iran and Iraq,Afghanistan, etc.

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  10. Seriously? What is wrong with us Jews?? This makes me so angry that the so called "Palestinians" can basically call for the extermination of Israel and a "second holocaust" while the Jews stand there with their stupid signs. Hello? Are you completely blind? They are calling for a second holocaust!! Did everyone forget what that means? Imagine the Nazis standing there ready to take you to the camps and you wave a dumbass signs saying "Jews want peace".

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