We Are Old Activists, We Are Jewish, And We Support the Student Protests Against the Gaza War
We are retired Sociology and Global Studies professors at UCSB. We are movement veterans. We are Jewish. Students across the country are protesting Israel’s war on Gaza, struggling for a path to peace, justice, and equality for all humans in Israel/Palestine. We support that struggle and are appalled by the orchestrated campaign to brand the movement as anti-Semitic.
Students are often social change trailblazers. Back in the day they created the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the pioneering organization of the Civil Rights movement. They initiated the organization Students for Democratic Society, which was the fulcrum of the anti-Vietnam war movement. Across the world and back through history, students have sparked struggle for peace, freedom, and justice.
The October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians was an unjustifiable atrocity. But so is Israel’s six-month military assault on Gaza, which has reportedly claimed 34,000 lives, three-quarters of them women and children; destroyed more than half of all homes; damaged or destroyed nearly every hospital, health facility, and university; and created mass famine and suffering. While we may not agree with all the demands raised by the many groups involved in the student movement, we support its call for an end to Israel’s assault and for a peaceful solution that provides freedom and equality for all Palestinians.
The rise of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic expression on campuses and in the wider society is evident and emanates from many sources. Student protesters at Columbia and elsewhere have publicly denounced anti-Semitism; indeed, a large number of protesting students are Jewish. Student encampments can be sites for serious debate, discussion, and learning — and such learning is crucial because of the complexities of the situation in the Middle East. That learning is evident in the ways that the language and tactics of the protests are evolving.
Nonviolent protest on campus should not be criminalized. Mass suspensions without due process, the banning of speech and of student organizations, calling the police and arresting peaceful protestors — these are shocking betrayals of the values academia claims to uphold. Moreover, they backfire, escalating conflict.
We welcome the passionate engagement of students and faculty. The future of democracy depends on continuing organization for justice and peace.