Why Arab Students Remain Silent on Israel

Walter E. Block | November 18,2024

There have been ongoing campus protests against Israel, with participation from Arab students and members of the public. Unfortunately, some Jews, both on and off campus, are also involved in these protests. But what about vigils or demonstrations in support of Israel, the only Jewish state in the world? In universities dominated by radical leftist ideologies, such events are unlikely to find much support. And it’s doubtful that Arabs would join such efforts.

Why is there such a lack of support for Israel among Arab students on campus? Why aren’t Palestinians calling for the release of hostages? Why don’t we see any groups like “Hamas for Peace with Israel” or “Iranians for Recognition of Israel”? Where are the organizations named “Hezbollah: Friends of Israel” or “Egyptians in Favor of Israel”? It’s telling that no such groups are advocating for Israel in any Middle Eastern country.

This is an interesting speculation. Perhaps this phenomenon is due to the fact that the Arabs are a very homogeneous group, as compared to the Jews, who are all over the lot in terms of ideology—there are plenty of such groups that support Palestinians, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, etc. Possibly, it is because the Arabs hate Jews with a purple passion, and none of them ever so much as even considered the possibility of favoring Israel. Evidence for that hypothesis emanates from this insightful statement by Golda Meir: “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”

A likely explanation for the complete absence of organized Arab student support for Israel is the severe risks involved. Arab students advocating for Israel would likely face violent retaliation, similar to how members of “Queers for Palestine” would be treated if they publicly supported LGBTQ+ rights in many Middle Eastern countries—the only Pride marches in the Middle East take place in Israel, not in any other regional country.

In very sharp contrast indeed, there are numerous groups of Jews taking pretty much the very opposite position: support for Palestinians and enmity for Israel. No other Jews come within a million miles of even threatening to kill them, let alone doing such a horrid thing. People of the book are far too civilized for anything like that. It is impossible to mention all such organizations. There are more than you can shake a stick at—all too many Reform Temples fall into or flirt with this tendency. Here are some of them:

Jewish Voice for Peace. 

This organization, founded in 1996, is self-described as “the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world.” Its website states:

We’re organizing a grassroots, multiracial, cross-class, intergenerational movement of U.S. Jews into solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle, guided by a vision of justice, equality, and dignity for all people.

IfNotNow. 

This organization was founded during the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. Its website states:

We are a movement of American Jews organizing our community to end U.S. support for Israel’s apartheid system and demand equality, justice, and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis.

BrownU Jews for Ceasefire Now

The message of this Brown University group: a call for “an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace by divesting its endowment from companies that enable war crimes in Gaza.”

If there were any doubt that young Jews are heavily involved in protests on behalf of Palestinians and against Israel, this report regarding Columbia University, my alma mater, ought to end all such thoughts:

On the first night of Passover, the singsong of the Four Questions echoed from Jewish homes and gatherings around the world, including from unlikely, contested spaces: the center of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University and other campuses where demonstrations are taking place. As evening fell over Columbia’s tent encampment Monday, about 100 students and faculty gathered in a circle around a blue tarp heaped with boxes of matzo and food they had prepared in a kosher kitchen. Some students wore kaffiyehs, the traditional Palestinian scarf, while others wore Jewish skullcaps. They distributed handmade Haggadahs – prayer books for the Passover holiday – and read prayers in Hebrew, keeping to the traditional order. But there were also changes and additions, like a watermelon on the Seder plate to represent the flag of Palestine.

Oy vey.

Image of Philly for Palestine: March Against Israeli Apartheid by Joe Piette on Flickr; According to the source, the march was co-sponsored by student groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine Philly, IfNotNow Philly, and Temple University Students for Justice in Palestine