In a significant move, Brandeis University has announced that it will no longer recognize the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). This decision follows allegations that the organization has engaged in actions that could be seen as supporting Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist orginization.
According to reports from Fox News, Brandeis SJP, which had planned a “Vigil for Palestine” event, expressed their disappointment via an Instagram post, claiming they were “unjustly de-charted.”
They argued that the university, an institution that values social justice, was attempting to silence them from speaking their truth. The post also included the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
The university informed the Brandeis SJP in a letter that they would be derecognized and would no longer receive funding or be permitted to conduct campus events or use the Brandeis name.
The letter highlighted the National SJP’s call to engage in actions that support Hamas in its call for the violent elimination of Israel and the Jewish people. These tactics, according to the university, are not protected by its principles. The letter emphasized that students who engage in such conduct would be considered in violation of the university’s student code of conduct.
Brandeis spokeswoman Julie Jette clarified that the decision was not related to the canceled vigil but stemmed from allegations of supporting Hamas. She referred to Brandeis University President Ronald Liebowitz’s op-ed in the Boston Globe, in which he emphasized that student organizations that engage in protests calling for violence or the “annihilation” of the Jewish State should lose all privileges.
Rabbi Seth Winberg, the executive director of Brandeis Hillel, praised the university’s decision, underscoring that it showed that supporting terrorism and creating a hostile campus environment has consequences. He emphasized the importance of campuses being safe places for all students and commended the move in light of increased antisemitism on campuses.
In October, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took a similar stand, ordering state universities to disband organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine due to their perceived support for Hamas. The decision appeared to be based on federal law that deems providing material support or resources to foreign terrorist organizations as illegal.
Brandeis University’s decision to derecognize the SJP chapter is seen by many as a proactive stance against alleged support for a militant group with a history of violence. It underscores the university’s commitment to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
