DENVER (Press Release) — Demonstrations outside Jewish National Fund-USA’s Global Conference for Israel November-December 3 appeared to feature supporters of Hamas, a designated terrorist organization in America, displaying placards of photos of the terror organization’s attacks on Israeli civilians accompanied by the text “Resistance by any means possible.” Protesters also defaced public property and etched into the sidewalk: “River to the Sea,” referring to Hamas’ stated aim of eliminating the State of Israel, which is located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
Responding to the demonstrations, college students, anti-hate advocates, and the conference’s organizers condemned the protests outside the Convention Center in addition to calling on universities to take a tougher stand against hate.
Jewish National Fund-USA College Summit Chair and University of Colorado student, Jake Stone said, “Jewish students continue to be intimidated by anti-Israel activists on college campuses. We thank our many allies on campus who have stood up for us, and we call on all fair-minded students who support our mainstream American values to rally around their Jewish friends at this difficult time. We say: ‘Enough is enough,’ and urge college administrations in Denver and around the nation to take resolute action against hate and antisemitism.”
Jewish National Fund-USA CEO, Russell F. Robinson, added: “Our people know all too well what happens when you let hate and antisemitism go unchecked. When you see people chanting for your homeland’s destruction and praising terrorists, this isn’t just a Jewish problem, it’s a problem for everyone who values life and co-existence. We will continue to fight ignorance through our initiatives that show campus leaders and faculty members the real Israel along with our programming across college campuses and high schools.”
During the Global Conference for Israel’s opening event, Governor Jared Polis said, “There’s a lot of pain and it’s made worse by the fact that we’re seeing the rise of antisemitism and hate in America and across the world. The antisemitic demons of old that we hoped had been vanquished [are] now fueled by social media and dangerous rhetoric. My great-grandparents came to this country in the early 20th century to escape the persecution in Eastern Europe for who they were and what they believed. It’s that same persecution and violence that’s taken so many lives throughout history in these heinous attacks. If anyone asks why the world needs a Jewish state of Israel, the evidence is now more self-evident than ever before.”
Jewish National Fund-USA runs two programs that bring students and faculty members from Colorado and across the country to Israel, where they meet with Israelis from diverse backgrounds and gain a deeper understanding of the situation on the ground.
The organization’s Caravan from Democracy Student Leadership Program facilitates constructive dialogue about Israel and the Middle East on college campuses across America by giving student leaders beyond the Jewish faith a unique opportunity to experience Israel firsthand. In addition, its Faculty Fellowship Program is an academic fellowship that brings full-time university and college faculty members to Israel, where they meet with their Israeli counterparts at major institutions and initiate exchanges and collaborations.
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Preceding provided by Jewish National Fund-USA