Florida’s university system chancellor, responding to a push by Gov. Ron DeSantis, directed state universities Tuesday to disband campus groups with ties to the national Students for Justice in Palestine organization, marking the first punishments handed down to colleges here amid the Israel-Hamas war.
In a memo to school leaders, the state ordered a “crack down” on campus events led by the pro-Palestinian organization that the DeSantis administration claims amount to “harmful support for terrorist groups” like Hamas, which attacked Israel in early October. Florida, under Republican presidential candidate DeSantis, has staunchly supported Israel during the ongoing war and was monitoring college protests that have since ignited.
“Based on the National SJP’s support of terrorism, in consultation with Governor DeSantis, the student chapters must be deactivated,” state university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues wrote Tuesday.
It makes a lot of sense to deny terrorist sympathizers funding and support.
Yeah, but this ain’t that. It’s a blatant attack on the free speech of people supporting the innocent victims of oppression and genocide in an apartheid state.
Hamas are terrorists. This is about Palestinians.
They’re not the same, but not entirely different either. A bit like how most Israelis aren’t founding new settlements around Gaza, nor do all of them support the actions of their current government.
Which is why nobody except the most unhinged tankies are arguing that Israeli civilians have it coming like you are with Palestinians.