Demand UMD Reject Hateful Calls to Ban IDF Speakers from Campus


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Last week, the University of Maryland Student Government Association passed two egregious resolutions targeting pro-Israel activism on campus. The SGA is demanding that the administration condemn an event organized by the University’s Students Supporting Israel chapter and change UMD policy to ban IDF soldiers from speaking on campus.

Demand the UMD administration condemn these hateful resolutions, affirm its commitment to combating antisemitism on campus, and commit to protecting open dialogue and academic freedom on campus.

To the University of Maryland administration:

Last week, the UMD Student Government Association (SGA) passed a heinous resolution urging the university to condemn an event hosted by UMD’s Students Supporting Israel chapter (SSI) and to prohibit IDF soldiers and Israelis from speaking on campus.

The SSI event featured three IDF soldiers who came to share their experiences fighting against Hamas terrorists in Gaza in the aftermath of the genocidal October 7 massacre. The event was heavily protested and condemned by several student groups, including UMD’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter, which has been at the forefront of antisemitic activity on UMD’s campus in recent years.

SJP vice president Zyad Khan then sponsored two SGA bills targeting the SSI event and slandering Israel, which passed overwhelmingly. The bills:

1) Condemn the hosting of IDF soldiers on campus and the “wrongful detention” of event protesters;

2) Call on the university to apologize to individuals who tried to disrupt the SSI event;

3) Demands the university revise its policy to “prohibit the invitation of speakers who have been found, or are being actively investigated for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, or systematic human rights violations;”

4) Cite biased and antisemitic sources that falsely allege that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.

The UMD administration must publicly reject these hateful, slanderous resolutions and affirm its support for the Jewish community on campus and its commitment to open dialogue and academic freedom. Failure to issue a public and forceful response will only embolden SJP and its allies to further target and isolate Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus.

Signed,
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