At Syracuse University, convicted killers roam freely at Hamas encampments and the head of the International Relations department hates Israel.
President Biden’s alma mater has proven to be unsafe for Jews - inside and outside of the classroom - with Anti-Semitism and Israel bashing practiced regularly by university leadership and staff. This year has seen violent attacks on Jews on Holocaust Remembrance Day with screams of Heil Hitler and a convicted killer who spent 17 years in jail sleeping on campus at the Hamas encampment while threatening Jewish students.
Countless incidents have occurred on campus since October 7th which the University has, it seems, willfully, ignored. As the ADL wrote in a report critical of SU months ago, a group of Syracuse students and parents submitted a report to the U.S. House of Representatives noting the University is turning “a blind eye to antisemitism.”
We have now learned that Osamah Khalil, the Chair of the International Relations undergraduate department had – before October 7, 2023 - endorsed all forms of armed resistance against Israel, a full suspension of military aid to Israel and proudly supports BDS.
In 2018, Khalil accused Israel of being an apartheid state and claimed falsely that Israel committed “ethnic cleansing ahead of Israel’s foundation,” and condemned Palestinian leaders for their failure to “truly challenge the occupation and Israel’s system of apartheid.” Khalil appeared in a 2011 roundtable discussion in which participants agreed that “All forms of resistance can be used intelligently and with purpose.” Specifically, participants discussed the effectiveness of BDS and of “armed resistance.”
To my mind, Khalil is not someone who should be educating American students. Khalil - one of SU’s foremost spokespersons – is one of many at SU that sprouts hate of the Jewish state and creates an unsafe environment for Jewish students. .
Amy Kallander, a History Professor (She/Her on SU website) is a BDS activist at SU who in 2016 accused Israel of practicing apartheid and committed “not to collaborate on projects and events involving Israeli academic institutions, not to teach at or to attend conferences and other events at such institutions, and not to publish in academic journals based in Israel.”
All this before the Oct 7th massacre happened.
Robin Riley, a Women’s and Gender Studies professor is a supporter of BDS and has openly advocated in favor of Khader Adnan, a senior member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization which “is dedicated to the violent destruction of Israel.” In October 2014, Riley signed an open letter to United States President Barack Obama, expressing support for convicted terrorist Rasmea Odeh, who confessed to planting bombs which killed innocent Israelis.
Carol W.N. Fadda a women’s and gender studies professor is a BDS supporter and has pushed for the academic boycott of Israel. In an open letter addressed to the Modern Language Association (MLA) she called “… on the association to pass a resolution endorsing the boycott of Israeli academic institutions.” Her colleague, Chandra Talpade Mohanty accuses Israel of genocide and apartheid and has defended terrorists.
Tula Goenka a SU TV Professor is a BDS supporter who has accused Israel of practicing apartheid and was quoted in The Daily Orange …explaining her refusal to buy Israeli products, Sabra Hummus and SodaStream, stating that “It seems like ridiculous but I mean, you, at some level, you’ve… got to put your money where your mouth is.”
Farhana Sultana, Professor at SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, praised the US Airman’s protest of the Gaza war setting himself on fire and committing suicide. She tweeted “Don’t believe the spin doctoring otherwise. He showed more moral clarity and courage than politicians & genocidaires. They will try to spin doctor it as mental health issues, but he was rational & clear about his political reasoning, which resonates with the majority of the world.”
Despite all the money spent on suicide prevention for the young, this SU Professor praises suicide. Openly.
This list goes on and on and on.
Is it any wonder that hatred is so pervasive at this campus? Faculty rules of conduct clearly don’t apply at SU. No word yet on why Jew hating non tenured professors remain paid at SU.
Among the entire faculty of Syracuse University, shamefully, we could not identify one single Pro-Israel professor. Professor Zachary Braiterman, head of the Jewish Studies program is active on Twitter and this week called for more indictments against Israel, and praised the ICC decision to indict Israel’s leadership. A radical leftist, Braiterman has not issued a single statement condemning anything antisemitic this year at SU. The few Zionist Jewish faculty at SU are terrified.
Worldwide, Jews are being hunted and in Syracuse, New York Jews aren’t safe.
As events are permitted on campus that celebrate jihad. Rep. Elise Stefanik rightfully noted, “Syracuse University’s leadership is sacrificing the safety and security of its student body to the pro-Hamas mob allowing illegal antisemitic encampments including a convicted felon guilty of a brutal murder.”
During previous hate incidents at SU, former Governor Cuomo said he does not believe Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud has handled the investigations “in a way that instills confidence,” and Vice President Kamala Harris similarly condemned SU executives noting “Syracuse’s faculty and staff must listen to students protesting for more counselors and a safe and inclusive learning environment....”
With the imminent return of the Hamas mob to campus, Senator Josh Hawley has rightfully called for the National Guard as claims are made that SU Chancellor Kent Syverud and Board Chairman Jeffrey M. Scruggs of Goldman Sachs have enabled an unsafe environment for Jews.
It is a terrible state that this happens on an American campus, let alone at a college with one of the largest populations of Jews at a private college in America.
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul must intervene immediately at Syracuse University.
Ronn Torossian is an American Israeli entrepreneur and author.
He is President of the Syracuse Jewish Parents Council (SJPC), the umbrella organization representing 450+ Zionist families involved with Syracuse University. The SJPC (501 c3 pending) collectively represents billions of dollars donated to the SU community and was formed in the aftermath of October 7th. Members include students, parents, alumni, donors, faculty, Rabbis and local leaders.