We must fight radicalism here with just as much strength and dedication as our troops do abroad
New semester reignites fears of anti-Israel protests on college campuses, Rabbi says: 'We’re very concerned'
Protests swept college campuses nationwide towards the end of the spring semester in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, disrupting many day-to-day activities.
This week, as first-year students at Columbia University arrived for move-in day, they were met not with the usual excitement of starting college but with disruption orchestrated by radical student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD).
These groups distributed pamphlets entitled "Lessons on Taking the School" with instructions on how to occupy university buildings.
Special editions of the Columbia Spectator were also given to all first-year students. These editions had articles containing propaganda and misinformation, including an article written by CUAD titled "Welcome to the People’s University for Palestine" in which they ask all first year students for their help in protesting Israel on Columbia’s campus this school year.
Pro-Hamas demonstrators burn an American flag at a protest during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 22 2024. (Fox News Digital)
They even tore down the balloons and decorations meant to welcome the incoming students. This aggressive display made it clear that the radicalism that plagued Columbia’s campus for the entirety of my senior year is here to stay.
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This week’s events echo the extremism I witnessed on April 30, 2024, when mobs of students in my quad shouted to "burn Tel Aviv to the ground" and called on Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades to target my friends holding Israeli flags.
They broke into Hamilton Hall, held sanitation workers hostage, and defaced property. While left-wing media labeled them "pro-Palestinian protesters" and right-wing media branded them "anti-Israel protesters," none addressed the broader issue:
These students were not just anti-Israel; they were anti-Western. Alongside burning Israeli flags, they also burned an American flag.
These students are not merely pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel; they are anti-American. They hate America as much as they hate Israel, and they want to see our Western values destroyed just as much as they want to see Israel obliterated.
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That same radicalism manifested outside the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, again burning an American flag. The so-called "pro-Palestinian" movement has become a cesspool of hatred and radicalism.
This week, I had the privilege of visiting Fort Liberty with Delta Child, a children’s furniture company. At the military base, we distributed baby cribs and mattresses donated by Delta to the troops who have young children or are expecting.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much to ensure that we remain safe here in the United States of America. They put themselves in harm's way so that America can continue to be a beacon of hope and democracy. In return, we believe it’s the least we can do to ensure that their babies have a safe place to sleep.
One soldier, who had just retired after 26 years of service, shared some stories with me that brought this all into sharper focus. Over his long career, he was stationed in many places, including Iraq and Afghanistan, where he saw firsthand the depths of anti-American sentiment.
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He recounted how, while stationed in the Middle East, he witnessed the burning of American flags during protests, particularly in Iraq. The anger and hatred directed toward the U.S. were palpable.
These were not just symbolic acts – they were manifestations of a deep-seated radicalism that views the U.S. and its values as the enemy.
This soldier spent years fighting against this kind of extremism abroad, risking his life to ensure that it doesn’t reach our shores. Yet now, here at home, we see the same flag-burning protests – this time on our most elite university campuses.
The very radicalism he fought against overseas is now being echoed by protesters within our own borders.
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We cannot allow the very radicalism our troops battle overseas to take root and fester here at home. Our military fights to protect the freedoms we cherish. We must honor their sacrifices by ensuring that those freedoms are not eroded from within.
There is no room on our college campuses or in our city streets for the burning of American flags or the waving of Hamas or Hezbollah flags. It's time we stand up and fight radicalism here with just as much strength and dedication as our troops do abroad.
Yola Ashkenazie graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University in May 2024. She is an active advocate for the pro-Israel movement, using her voice to speak out against antisemitism to many media outlets and before Congress in Columbia’s congressional hearing on antisemitism.Yola Ashkenazie graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University in May 2024. She is an active advocate for the pro-Israel movement, using her voice to speak out against antisemitism to many media outlets and before Congress in Columbia’s congressional hearing on antisemitism.
