Arab students protest at Hebrew University
Arab students protest at Hebrew UniversityCourtesy of Dudi Eltsufin

Arab students held a protest Monday at the Hebrew University campus on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, calling for a new violent uprising against Israel to liberate ‘Palestine’.

The student protesters held the demonstration in solidarity with rioters who have clashed with Israeli forces on the Israel-Gaza border since March 30th. Gaza activists launched a six-week mass-protest on the Israel-Gaza frontier, set to culminate on May 15th, the day after Israel’s 70th Independence Day and the opening of the new US embassy in Jerusalem.

Some 30 Gazans have been killed in the clashes, which have included firebomb attacks and attempts to cross into Israeli territory. More than a dozen of those killed have been identified by Israeli security officials as Hamas terrorists.

On Monday, a group of Arab students at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem gathered in solidarity with the Gaza rioters at the university’s Mount Scopus campus to call for a new intifada.

"From Gaza a decision was made: intifada and victory; Oh Shahid, rest in your bed, we will continue the struggle; Zionists get out, our land is Arab and free," demonstrators chanted during the protest.

Activists from the Im Tirtzu movement held a counter demonstration across from the protest.

"Instead of standing with the State of Israel that provides them with equal rights and opportunity under law, these students opt to incite against Israel and the IDF, and to support terrorism," said Im Tirtzu’s policy director, Alon Schvartzer.

"The university must take this incitement seriously and immediately discipline those students responsible," continued Schvartzer.

Anti-Israel activists have held a number of demonstrations on the Mount Scopus campus over the years. In November 2012, a group of Arab students protested against Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense against Hamas – but were forced to seek shelter after rockets were launched from Gaza towards Jerusalem.

In May 2017, protesters made similar calls for a new intifada against Israel, and in December a group of Arab students desecrated a memorial erected in memory of murdered IDF soldier, Ron Kokia, and, upon confrontation, the Arab students assaulted Jewish students and a security guard.