Pro-Palestinian student group will combat 'on every front' suspension from college after group's anti-Israel actions: Report

A pro-Palestinian student group will combat "on every front" its suspension from George Washington University after the group's anti-Israel actions, according to the college's student newspaper the GW Hatchet.

What are the details?

A representative of Students for Justice in Palestine at GWU — who spoke to the Hatchet under the condition of anonymity due to threats of doxxing and harassment — told the paper the student group will combat the suspension “on every front” but declined to discuss specifics.

GWU officials on Tuesday suspended Students for Justice in Palestine at GWU from hosting and participating in on-campus activities for at least 90 days, the Hatchet noted, adding that the suspension includes a ban on sponsoring or organizing on-campus activities and using any indoor or outdoor GWU facilities.

After 90 days — around Feb. 12, 2024 — school officials will continue to restrict SJP’s use of campus facilities and involvement in campus events through the end of the academic year, the paper reported.

How did this all start?

The suspension was due to SJP members late last month projecting anti-Israel slogans — including one viewed as a call to eliminate the Jewish state — on the outer wall of a school library. The stunt broke university policy.

The Hatchet in a previous story reported that four students from the pro-Palestine group sat on the ground in Kogan Plaza and used a slideshow to project messages on the eastern wall of Gelman Library, adding that projected phrases included:

• “Glory to our martyrs"
• “End the siege on Gaza”
• “GW the blood of Palestine is on your hands"
• “GW is complicit in genocide in Gaza"
• “Your tuition is funding genocide in Gaza"
• “Divestment from Zionist genocide now"

StopAntisemitism posted images it indicated are from the slideshow, one of which is the phrase, "Free Palestine from the river to the sea." The Hatchet reported that a variation of the phrase — “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" — was projected on the wall.

The slogan is often viewed as a call to wipe Israel off the map. The Anti-Defamation League characterizes "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" as a rallying cry for "a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, territory that includes the State of Israel, implying the dismantling of the Jewish state."

The paper said the pro-Palestine students projected about 10 statements on the wall for more than two hours.

At one point, as pro-Palestine students chanted, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!" Jewish students sang back in response:

Anything else?

The SJP representative told the Hatchet that the group is disappointed but not surprised by the suspension due to GWU's “unwavering support” of Zionist students on campus and attacks against their group.

“We see this very clearly as being a political response to a growing wave of backlash and repression towards Palestinian organizing, but specifically the Palestinian student movement that’s been happening the past few weeks,” the representative told the paper.

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