Arab students at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University called to expel the “Zionists” from Israel during a protest held yesterday at the university’s Mount Scopus campus.
“Palestine is Arab from the river to the sea; Zionists leave, our land is Arab and free; We will not give up, Israel is a terrorist; Raise up your hand and scream, death is better than humiliation,” were among the slogans chanted by the Arab students affiliated with the Joint List.
The protestors were joined by Joint List member of Knesset, Yousef Jabareen, who told the protestors to “keep on fighting for coexistence. We should be proud of our struggle.”
On the other side of the barricade stood students from the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu, who organized a counter demonstration. The students waved Israeli flags and sang Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem.
The protest was called in response to a clash yesterday between Arab and Jewish students over a memorial erected by students from Im Tirtzu for Sgt. Ron Kukia, who was murdered last week in Arad.
Arab students responded to the memorial by approaching it while waving a Palestinian flag in protest, prompting an altercation.
“What we have seen in Hebrew University over the past few days is disgraceful,” said Tom Nisani, national branch coordinator for Im Tirtzu who was present at the protest. “Under the guise of free speech, Arab students are calling for the destruction of Israel and are inciting violence. The university must take this incitement seriously and immediately discipline those students responsible.”
Last month Arab students held a similar protest over the Israeli presence in the Golan Heights, during which they chanted slogans including “Zionists, out” and “There is no solution, but to get rid of the occupier.”
In May, Arab students staged a protest in solidarity with Palestinian security prisoners where they waved photos of convicted terrorists and called for “Intifada.”