Israel Matzav

'Checkpoints' at Bir Zeit on the Hudson

On Thursday, a pro-'Palestinian' demonstration blocked the center of the campus at Bir Zeit on the Hudson.

Students dressed as Israeli soldiers stopped other students, ordered them to the ground, and blindfolded them in a demonstration that drew multiple campus groups to a standoff on College Walk Thursday afternoon.

The Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine set up mock checkpoints—to resemble those manned by the Israeli army in the West Bank—drawing crowds and counter-protests for several hours.

Organizers from CSJP said the demonstration was meant to protest human rights violations at these checkpoints, while representatives from pro-Israel groups argued that the event was offensive and the checkpoints are a needed form of protection.

Four groups under the Columbia/Barnard Hillel, the umbrella organization for Jewish student life, set up camp opposite CSJP on the sundial and distributed fliers telling passersby that checkpoints were a necessary evil and a product of a complicated relationship.

Read the whole thing.

Martin Kramer points out that the Jewish students did not do what they should have done in response.

"Our gut reaction was to show up with suicide belts and say, 'See this is why we have checkpoints'," said Jonah Liben, Hillel's Israel coordinator. "We did not want to stoop to that level of evocative anger." Actually, that's precisely what they should have done.

Indeed.

Labels: Bir Zeit on the Hudson, Columbia, Israeli checkpoints, Palestinian suicide bombers

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:29 PM