A coalition of Jewish groups has filed a lawsuit against Palestinian groups, accusing them of being “collaborators and propagandists for Hamas.” The lawsuit comes as college campuses have been disrupted by rioters who have set up encampments, engaged in acts of violence and vandalism, and demonstrated anti-Semitism, leading to the cancellation of some graduation ceremonies.
The law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, along with the National Jewish Advocacy Center, the Schoen Law Firm, and the Holtzman Vogel law firm, has filed a lawsuit against AJP Educational Foundation Inc., also known as American Muslims for Palestine, and National Students for Justice in Palestine. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Virginia, Alexandria Division.
Nine American and Israeli victims of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel are the plaintiffs in this case. Among them are survivors of the attack, family members of those killed by Hamas, and civilians who are still dealing with the aftermath of the ongoing aggression by Hamas. The lawsuit claims that AMP and NSJP organizers are knowingly providing significant support to Hamas and its affiliates’ acts of international terrorism, causing continuous harm to the plaintiffs. Therefore, AMP and NSJP are held responsible for aiding and abetting Hamas’s terrorist activities and are liable for the damages suffered by the plaintiffs.
They claim to have suffered a range of physical and emotional injuries due to the alleged violence orchestrated by AMP and NJSP. They are now seeking compensatory damages.
Hamas, also known as the Islamic Resistance Movement (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya), received the designation of a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department in 1997. The National Counterterrorism Center highlights Hamas as the largest and most proficient militant group in the Palestinian territories, as well as one of the major political parties in the region.
According to The Center Square, a lawsuit accuses AMP and NSJP of being “collaborators and propagandists for Hamas.” This claim stems from their response to a call made by a Hamas founder on October 8, urging the organization of “resistance” events on college campuses. The NSJP further published a “tool kit” intended to assist Palestinian students in the U.S. in countering Israeli “occupiers” and “Zionist media campaigns.”
According to The Center Square, there has been a significant increase of nearly 400% in antisemitism and violence against Jews in America after October 7. Additionally, a separate report highlights the escalating violence on college campuses, with leaders failing to effectively address the issue.
Republican and Democratic governors had contrasting responses to the call for violence. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis took immediate action by issuing an emergency declaration. He also directed the state university system to deactivate pro-Palestinian student groups on campuses. To maintain order, law enforcement officers in Florida proactively cracked down on protestors.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took decisive action to combat antisemitism, while state troopers swiftly intervened to quell rioters attempting to take over the University of Texas in Austin. In stark contrast to the campuses in California and New York that were besieged by pro-Hamas encampments, leading to the cancellation of in-person instruction and graduation ceremonies, Texas and Florida remained resilient. Rioters were apprehended, and graduation ceremonies are proceeding as planned.
According to a survey conducted after the “day-of-rage” protests in October, a majority of Muslim-Americans, accounting for 57.5% of those surveyed, believed that Hamas was justified in their attacks on Israel as part of their pursuit for a Palestinian state. This information was reported by The Center Square.
U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, was among the individuals included in the group. Congress had previously censured her for openly supporting Hamas without apology. She defended herself by explaining that the phrase chanted by the rioters, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” is actually an expression of hope for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, rather than a call for death, destruction, or hatred.
According to Mark Goldfeder, CEO of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, the principle behind this case is quite straightforward: if someone confesses to aiding and abetting terrorists, it is crucial to take their words seriously.
According to Richard Edlin, the Vice Chair of Greenberg Traurig, free speech does not encompass hate speech. He finds it incredibly ironic that individuals who carry signs with messages like “Death to America” and “Death to Jews” assert that they are protected by free speech. However, Edlin firmly states that they are not. Free speech has never included advocating for terrorism or condoning the destruction of private property, nor has it protected the brutalization of innocent people of various faiths, including Jews.
The defendants will soon realize their mistake if they think they can establish operations in America to spread fear, threats, violence, and intimidation. Their intention to undermine our valued educational institutions, influence governmental policies, and impose Hamas’s evil ideology on American or Israeli soil will not succeed.
