To divert attention from Israel’s aggressive entry into Gaza, the American Congress organized a hearing in which they summoned the presidents of Harvard, UPenn, and MIT to account for the widespread anti-Semitism flooding their campuses and threatening their Jewish students. Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik posted a video on social media that went viral. Wealthy donors to the universities threatened to withhold hundreds of millions in funding, exerting pressure to fire the presidents.
A crucial element in this discussion was the video in question. In it, Elizabeth Magill, president of University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), seemed to suggest that incitement to global genocide of Jews is permissible under university code. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out that this interpretation is a result of a “bait and switch” technique by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Stefanik twisted the meaning of the word “Intifada” by associating it with “genocide of all Jews worldwide.” Here’s the viral video:
And here is the video where Stefanik twists the meaning of the word ‘Intifada’:
However, the real meaning of “Intifada” is more complex. According to Wikipedia, it refers to uprisings or rebellions against oppression, with a literal meaning of ‘shaking’ or ‘trembling.’:
“An intifada is a rebellion or uprising, or a resistance movement. It is a key concept in contemporary Arabic usage referring to a uprising against oppression… Intifada is an Arabic word literally meaning, as a noun, “tremor”, “shivering”, “shuddering”. It is derived from an Arabic term nafada meaning “to shake”, “shake off”, “get rid of”, as a dog might shrug off water, or as one might shake off sleep, or dirt from one’s sandals.”
Historically, it was first used in 1952 in Iraq and later in various contexts, including the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation. This struggle includes the First and Second Intifada, with the First Intifada (or the Stone Intifada) being marked by protests, civil disobedience and riots carried out by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories.
Stefanik’s interpretation of protest at universities shouting “Intifada, revolution” and “globalize the intifada” is an example of political rhetoric that distorts the real meaning of ‘Intifada.’ The phrase “Globalize the Intifada” is used as a slogan promoting global activism in support of the Palestinian resistance and not as a call for genocide.
Because the presidents of the universities know that Stefanik is talking about the cry “Intifada,” they clumsily refuse to say that it violates the university code. However, the clip suggests that they claim that calling for global genocide of Jews would be permissible.
This incident is a clear example of how language and politics are intertwined and how easily terms can be manipulated for political purposes. The implications of this are far-reaching, not only for the university presidents involved, but also for the wider academic community. Pressure from wealthy donors and political influences can lead to a shift in university policy and education, particularly in topics such as international law and the Palestinian issue.
Meanwhile, UPenn’s president, Liz Magill, has resigned. University presidents will not be the only victims, as they will be replaced by presidents who listen to the Israel lobby. This lobby wants the universities to abandon the standard international law that teaches that the West Bank is occupied territory, the settlements are illegal and war crimes, and that the Palestinians have the right to an independent state in these occupied territories. Instead, the lobby wants the universities to teach that Israel has a right to the entire territory. For this reason, the donors have also lobbied to prevent Valentina Azarova from being given the position of director of the International Human Rights Program.
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