Global Student Protests: Not Anti-Jewish, But Anti-Zionist

By Asad Mirza Translated by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 17 May 2024 Student Protests Aim To Highlight The Differences Between Zionism And Judaism, Prompting Countries To Reconsider Pro-Israel Policies Main Points 1. The student-led protests against Israel's blockade of Gaza are gaining traction worldwide. 2. Protests are being held in educational institutions across the world, including the US, Australia, UK, France, Canada, Mexico, India, Lebanon, and Kuwait. 3. The protests are not anti-Jewish, but anti-Zionist, with Jewish students claiming their views stem from Jewish teachings emphasizing relationships with other religions and interfaith cooperation. 4. The protests are sending a global message that the time has come to end the era of coercion and the adoption of duplicitous policies. ------ Academic institutions have long been hubs of protest, and the current wave of student-led political action against Israel's blockade of Gaza is just the most recent manifestation of this long-standing tradition. The campaign is gaining traction from the UK to Australia and even India and these protests are now being held in educational institutions all over the world. According to the Reuters news agency, around 2,000 persons have been detained nationwide concerning these protests since April 18. The police were called to put a halt to the protests at several campuses, including Princeton University and Columbia University in New York, but they were unable to do so. Let us observe how student protests are expanding in different countries. The United States is home to numerous institutions spread throughout several states, such as Columbia, Yale, Brown, Princeton, UCLA, and more. Australia: Drawn by the American demonstrations, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Australia's largest university, the University of Sydney, to call for the disassociation of businesses associated with Israel. In Canberra, Melbourne, and other Australian cities, similar protests are still going on in universities. United Kingdom: Universities in Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Warwick, and Newcastle have also set up camps. The students are requesting that each of their respective universities cut off all relations with Israeli universities and divest from companies that provide Israel with weapons. Large-scale marches and rallies have taken place in London and other cities in recent months. However, smaller-scale protests that students organised inside the academic buildings have received little notice. France: Students at Sciences Po, one of the best political science universities in the nation, started protesting last week, and police there had to drive them out. Authorities stated that around 70 persons had been taken into custody, according to Reuters. While acknowledging that these protests have some merit, French President Macron has also stated that protesters have no place at educational institutions. Canada: In response to calls for divesting from organisations with ties to Israel, anti-war camps have also been established during the past week at significant Canadian institutions, including the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Ottawa. Mexico: The demonstrations have spread across the US border. Students have petitioned the government of Mexico to sever diplomatic ties with Israel, and tents have been erected in front of UNAM's headquarters in Mexico City. This is what France24 said. India: A pro-Palestine demonstration by the student union at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi caused US Ambassador to India Eric Garetti’s visit to be postponed. According to India Today, demonstrators held signs that said, among other things, "Free Palestine," "No more money for Netanyahu," and "Stop the genocide now." Lebanon: Hundreds of students rallied last week at multiple universities in Lebanon, waving Palestinian flags and urging their institutions to boycott companies that do business in Israel, according to the Reuters news agency. Police also arrested the American University of Beirut students who were demonstrating against the war outside the entrance. Kuwait: A sign that said, "From Kuwait University students to Columbia University students: We stand with you," was displayed at Kuwait University during a solidarity demonstration, according to The Washington Post. In summary, an analysis of the reasons behind the emergence of anti-Israel protests on university campuses reveals that, historically, anywhere in the world, our educational institutions have been the focal point of movements for change or expressions of youth opinion on a given subject. Because the force that embodies the ideals of the youth typically gains societal traction over time and eventually takes the shape of a fresh spirit, a new dawn, or a new political and social order. In light of student strength, it is hoped that the current protests will compel nations to re-evaluate their pro-Israel policies. Additionally, the demonstrations have been successful in drawing attention to the distinctions between Zionism and Judaism, as one student told Politico magazine. Jewish students taking part in these protests claim that their pro-Palestinian views stem from Jewish teachings that place high importance on relationships with other religions and interfaith cooperation. They want the issue to be resolved per Jewish teachings and reject the war and savage designs of the Zionist government of Israel. These protests are sending a message across the globe that the time has come to end the era of coercion and the adoption of duplicitous policies. People around the world, particularly the younger generation, are working to right these historical wrongs that we committed, beginning in the 1940s following the collapse of the imperialist powers and leading to several political and national errors whose consequences we are still dealing with today. Now is the time to make up for these errors, as even the younger generation is not ready to embrace the narrative that the imperialist powers employed to propagate their influence around the globe through a range of tactics. --- Urdu Article: Global Student Protests: Not Anti-Jewish, But Anti-Zionist طلبا کے عالمی مظاہرے : صہیونیت مخالف ہیں نہ کہ یہودی مخالف URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/global-student-protests-anti-jewish-zionist/d/132334 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism