Hamas and Israel entered into a three-phase ceasefire deal that has so far enabled the release of seven women hostages, who were among 251 men, women and children kidnapped during the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Instead of celebrating the ceasefire agreement, the Hamasnik “Ceasefire Now” mob raucously marched through New York City streets the other week, renewing calls for eliminating the State of Israel. This, even as the falsity of their genocide and starvation libels against Israel were laid bare by the gatherings of well-fed children and adults on the streets of Gaza, garbed in Hamas uniforms and armed with weapons, stridently promising a repeat of the Oct. 7 murderous rampages and the destruction of Israel.
The flood of Hamasniks on the streets was all too reminiscent of the days following the appalling atrocities committed by Hamas, when a highly organized and well-funded symbiotic virtual uprising occurred on many U.S. college campuses and in the streets of cities across the United States in support of Hamas and its goals. Jews were targeted, intimidated, harassed and even physically assaulted. The ubiquitous themes of “globalize the intifada,” “from the river to the sea” and “by any means necessary” were stridently invoked. Campus buildings were forcibly occupied and tent encampments created, often attempting to block Jewish students from accessing school facilities.
Support was loudly expressed for Hamas and its goals with protesters celebrating or justifying its murderous rampage, kidnappings and sexual assaults as acts of resistance. This aggressive conduct was not only perpetrated by students but also by professors and other staff members, as well as outsiders who participated in or promoted protests. Academics defended the offenders and insulated them from any meaningful accountability for their immoral and often illegal behavior.
Hopefully, the newly elected Trump administration will do a better job of addressing the problem, by effectively enforcing Title VI and other applicable laws to sanction the wrongdoers and deter further violations.
Virulent antisemitism has infected not only campuses but also the streets of cities both in the United States and Europe. Even as so many irresponsible dilettantes recklessly focus on inventing new definitions of the term genocide to libel Israel in its defensive war with Hamas, actual genocide is being committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied Arab militias as formally confirmed by the U.S. State Department. The recent murderous rampage in New Orleans by a fanatical American-born convert to radical Islamist terrorism is another cogent example.
Consider, too, the matter involving two leaders of the so-called Students for Justice in Palestine—sisters Jena and Noor Chanaa—at George Mason University in Virginia. Police found firearms, ammunition, pro-terrorist materials and foreign passports in their family home. The pro-terrorist materials included Hamas and Hezbollah flags, in addition to signs calling for “Death to America: and “Death to Jews.”
SJP is pro-Hamas and justifies its terrorism, and the noxious nexus between hatred of Jews and Israel and hatred of the United States is pronounced, potent and poisonous.
National security concerns, within the purview of the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act (18 USC 2339A-2339B), are also implicated. Hamas is a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization; so is Hezbollah. To violate the act, a person does not need to be an actual terrorist; merely knowing that the organization is such a group and providing it with “material support or resources” is sufficient. This includes providing training (meaning instruction or teaching designed to impart a specific skill, as opposed to general knowledge), expert advice, assistance or personnel.
These terms are interpreted broadly. As the federal court in United States v. Jama noted, “Congress intended to reach all persons who act on behalf of an FTO to further its goals and objectives in significant ways.” In essence, those advancing its goals or objectives may be deemed to be “personnel” under the act, even if not formally employed by the FTO.
In Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, the U.S. Supreme Court discussed how engaging in political advocacy on behalf of an FTO or in furtherance of its goals, as well as training members in how to use the law or engage in other activities to further the goals of the FTO, is covered by the act.
While an individual truly voicing a purely personal position entirely independently is excluded, this status is negated if the individual identifies with the FTO or purports to act on behalf of, or as part of, the FTO or his or her actions are directed by or coordinated with people associated with the FTO. Furthermore, receiving any payment from another or providing a service to a group that is advocating the cause also destroys any semblance of independence.
The court also noted how terrorist groups systematically conceal their activities behind charitable, social and political fronts. These fronts are often used to train prospective students and other rioters to use legal or political systems to threaten, manipulate and disrupt, or lobby on behalf or in furtherance of the FTO’s goals and legitimacy. Participation in these efforts is encouraged, including by making some form of payment.
One glaring and odious example is an event hosted by a Columbia University literary society, which had an exhibit tellingly called the “Museum of Terror.” Among the items exhibited were tools, including pliers and hammers, reportedly from the break-in and occupation of the school’s Hamilton Hall; headbands emblazoned with the logo of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) that like Hamas is an FTO; and posters glorifying Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion of Israel.
The program included sessions on protest skills, resistance training and tactics; methods for masking identities, avoiding surveillance cameras and subverting identification on campus; defense training, which was billed as “Direct Action Training”; and a talk by a leading representative from Within Our Lifetime that openly expressed support for Hamas and similar resistance “in all its forms. By any means necessary. With no exceptions.” After the WOL speech, students took to the stage to recite a poem glorifying Yahya Sinwar, the notorious Hamas senior leader and architect of the Oct. 7 assault who was killed by the IDF in October.
Another shocking example of coordination and scripting is a handbill that was reportedly circulated by Harvard Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, allied with SJP, calling for a sickout. Both related entities reportedly have links to Hamas and PFLP. The flier provided scripts for calling out sick or talking to a union rep. The pre-programmed remarks recite the thoroughly debunked, obnoxious, genocide blood libel against Israel and the need for a mental health or personal day. This appears to be a part of a broader coordinated effort to cause a sick out with students (No Work, No School), sponsored by WOL.
It’s long past time to take appropriate legal action to enforce the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act. We must take back control of our campuses and city streets from FTOs, and their agents and supporters in the United States.