Students for Justice in Palestine urge awareness of occupation — but not without backlash
by DEEPA RAMUDAMU on Nov 6, 2015
After learning about attacks on Gaza in 2012 while he was in high school, Shane James began going to activist meetings and demonstrations to learn more about the crisis in the Middle East.
Three years later, he is the co-president of the University of Maryland’s Students for Justice in Palestine, a controversial campus group that aims to educate people about human rights violations in Palestine as well as the movements happening in that community.
“We stand in solidarity with Palestinian people,” James said. “Because our government funds Israel with $3 billion a year and a lot of that goes to funding the occupation … Palestinians have the right to self-determination and their rights should be respected.”
The SJP’s latest emergency forum, held Oct. 20, came amidst reports of a surge in violent outbreaks between Palestinians and Israelis.
Since Oct. 1, tensions have risen partly because of renewed disputes over a holy site in Jerusalem. Palestinians wielding knives have attacked Israelis in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Israelis have also shot dead more than 50 Palestinians, according to Reuters.
SJP co-president Manar Dajani said she has family in the region. At the forum, she shared one of her cousin’s neighbor was killed in the violence as well, according to the SJP blog.
“Unlike them, I live in a country where I can actually speak the truth without repercussion, so it is my job as a human to try to help the oppressed,” Dajani said.
Rather than a one-state or two-state solution, the group supports the Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. BDS has three demands: to end the occupation and take down the wall; the right for refugees to return to their homes and receive reparations; and full equality for non-Jewish citizens of Israel.
“These three demands are fundamental to there being any chance of peace,” James said.
SJP has about 15 core organizing members and dozens of students who are involved with their various events. The group holds weekly meetings as well as educational meeting at least once every month to ensure members are properly equipped to educate others as well.
Besides meetings, SJP sets up a table to educate others about Palestine every other Friday. Its members also publish blog posts and pieces in other publications like The Diamondback.
Tension between SJP and many Jewish groups on campus is undeniable.
The Maryland Hillel Center “works to support Jewish life on college campuses,” said Maiya Chard-Yaron, assistant director.
“Israel is a very important part of work here and an important ingredient, I would say, in Jewish identity of many people,” Chard-Yaron said.
Close to 30 student groups, ranging from social justice to cultural, are affiliated with the center. While no Hillel-affiliated groups have directly clashed with SJP, there have been instances of protestors at SJP events such as Palestine Solidarity Week in April.
“When we chalk or advertise our events where there is plenty of dialogue, there are a few students who refuse to come to our events, ruin our advertisements and boycott outside instead of actually attending an event and seeing what it’s all about,” Dajani said.
On Nov. 16, the group will co-host an event, “From #Palestine2Ferguson,” with the Organization of Prison Abolitionists.
Deepa Ramudamu is a staff reporter at Plex. She studies journalism at the University of Maryland.
