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The Hypocrisy of ‘Progressive’ Anti-Zionists on My Campus
On the morning of February 19, I had the displeasure of waking up to more than 100 messages from the University of East Anglia (UEA) Jewish Society detailing how the university’s campus had been completely vandalized, including on the main sign at the school’s entrance.
Throughout campus, students found spray painted antisemitic phrases such as “Zionism = Colonialism,” “Judaism opposes Zionism,” “End Aparthied,” and “Bank with Barclays finances genocide of Palestinians,” to share a few. This was done the night before a prospectus day, which was clearly a message to all potential UEA students and their families, warning of social alienation and potentially violence to anyone who disagreed.
Every single one of the “claims” listed above is completely false.
Zionism is a core belief of the overwhelming majority of Jews; it started out as an indigenous Land-Back movement, and had nothing to do with colonialism. There is no Israeli apartheid, as has been firmly documented.
When it comes to the current war, the IDF has gone out of its way to save as many innocent Gazans as possible while waging a war against a genocidal terror group. Furthermore, approximately 20% of the Israeli population is Arab and over 19% of the population are Muslim with full rights and safeties.
But aside from the graffiti’s brazenly dishonest antisemitism, the tokenizing of anti-Zionist Jews to legitimize these aggressive acts should be beyond the pale for a community that considers itself an “accepting” society. And yet, this is exactly what UEA’s Palestine Solidarity Society (Palsoc) thought was appropriate after the display of antisemitism was condemned by university leaders.
Thankfully, our school’s Vice Chancellor quickly condemned the vandalism as antisemitic and had it removed immediately (the least he could do, mind you). Unfortunately as of this writing, no consequences have been handed down to the perpetrators, who have still yet to be identified.This, coupled with Palsoc’s angry response to the Vice Chancellor that essentially doubled down on the graffiti’s antisemitism, shows that incidents like these will keep happening, leaving Jewish UEA students scared and vulnerable.
So what did Palsoc say, you ask? It would take up too much time refuting every distortion and lie used to justify the newest chapter of UEA hosted antisemitism, so here’s the gist:
After falsely claiming Israel is committing a genocide, the statement says that, “The Vice Chancellor has contributed to a repressive atmosphere in which those who wish to speak out against the unfolding genocide in Gaza are afraid do so,” and “[the letter shows] that calling out Israel’s genocide against their people will be treated as tantamount to a crime.” For a group worried about being targeted for their political views and that acknowledges how “anonymous graffiti can be perceived as intimidating,” it seems odd that the rest of Palsoc’s message attempts to defend such a blatant attack on the community.
The most appalling bit of nonsense in their response claimed that the vandals and their statements were not antisemitic because some Jews agree with them. It’s the classic, “I can’t be bigoted, some of my best friends are Jews,” response. It’s as if Palsoc believes it can justify its position by defending the right for some Jews to incite violence against other Jews.
Unfortunately, many student groups supported the Palsoc statement.
The point of all these cultural or religious societies is supposed to be educating people about their cultures, and defending their members against injustice. However, when Palsoc completely negates all the work that the community has done for social justice by defending what amounted to be a flood of anonymous threats targeting another marginalized group, there is little else to do other than question their motives.
It is an awful shame to see so many societies get behind such a hateful and targeted statement, which has made Jews like me feel so isolated and despised. For Palsoc to then claim that they are striving for coexistence and peace is just pure gaslighting.
Billy Alexander is a student at the University of East Anglia, who has been advocating for a change in narrative on campus about Middle Eastern politics, especially the misinformation about Israel.
The post The Hypocrisy of ‘Progressive’ Anti-Zionists on My Campus first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.