Far-left, anti-Israel student groups are hosting events on the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, using language sympathetic to the terrorists while overlooking the devastation in Israel. These groups, including UCLA’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the University of Michigan’s Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, and Columbia University’s Palestine Solidarity Coalition, are framing the date as a milestone of Palestinian resistance and not as a day of mourning for Israeli victims. Language used by these groups includes phrases like ‘righteously engaged in decolonial struggle’ and ‘the beginning of the Gaza war,’ while deliberately omitting the Hamas massacre that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds of hostages.
At UCLA, SJP chapter members wrote on Instagram that the date marks ‘the day Palestinians ‘righteously engaged in decolonial struggle, a means to end the 77-year-long Zionist occupation of their beloved homeland, break the 17-year-long siege on Gaza, and liberate the 11,000+ Palestinians held captive in prison cells by the Zionist state.’ These groups are not only celebrating the attack but also organizing events such as ‘floral processions’ to ‘honor and remember the lives stolen by the Zionist state.’ Similarly, the University of Michigan’s Students Allied for Freedom and Equality announced a rally to ‘protest against two years of genocide and the University of Michigan’s refusal to divest from the genocidal, apartheid state.’ These protests depict the Oct. 7 date as the starting point of a ‘genocide in Gaza,’ which, again, ignores the actual Hamas attack that triggered the conflict.
At Columbia, the Palestine Solidarity Coalition posted an Instagram message stating, ‘After 700 days of genocide, join us as we honor our Palestinian martyrs,’ which is an attempt to justify the attack as an act of liberation rather than terrorism. Groups at George Washington University, George Mason University, and Stanford are also holding events to commemorate the date, calling the actions of Hamas ‘a historic win for the Palestinian resistance.’ These activities are consistent with guidance issued by the national SJP group, which referred to the Oct. 7 attack as a ‘historic win for the Palestinian resistance’ and a ‘surprise operation against the Zionist enemy.’ Such rhetoric frames the attack as a necessary response to occupation, which critics argue ignores the violence inflicted upon Israeli civilians.
Fox News Digital reached out to these groups for comment but did not receive a response. Analysts suggest that the pro-Hamas sentiments and the antisemitic tone of these events are part of a broader trend. Some experts have warned that the increasing prevalence of antisemitic ‘venom’ on campuses could worsen, with universities failing to address the issue, despite calls for intervention. The situation is further complicated by the international context, as the Israel-Gaza conflict has intensified global discussions about the rights of Israel to defend itself and the treatment of Palestinians under occupation. Pro-Palestinian activists argue that the war is an inhumane act that violates their rights, but Israeli authorities maintain their right to conduct necessary operations to reclaim the hostages and protect their citizens.