This is one of six blogs highlighting themes in activism and backlash in May and June 2021.

Individuals, administrators, and organizations suddenly came under fire for putting out statements supporting Palestinian rights and freedom—in some cases just months after people were praised for issuing similar statements of support for Black and Asian lives and against domestic state violence and racism.

ACTIVISTS CALL FOR BOYCOTTING ISRAEL. (PHOTO VIA BDSMOVEMENT.NET)

Anti-Palestinian organizations attacked university departments across the country for statements of solidarity with the Palestinian people, pressuring universities to establish a “Palestine exception” to social justice.

Inside Higher Ed reported in June: “The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel said more than 300 academic departments, program centers, unions and societies worldwide have endorsed statements supporting Palestinian rights, and statements from individual scholars, staff, students and alumni have garnered more than 15,000 signatures in what the campaign describes as ‘an unprecedented wave of solidarity.’”

African American Studies Dept. Takes Down Statement

The African American Studies department at Penn State University took down a statement in solidarity with Palestine after inquiries from a dean. The department reissued their statement in June, noting that the statement “has been subject to a different level of administrative scrutiny, unprecedented for our department.”

False Accusations for Signing a Statement

At a large public university, two professors received complaints after their program signed onto a student-led Palestine solidarity statement that used the word "genocide." The complaints, from pro-Israel colleagues in their department, included false accusations of antisemitism.

False Accusations for Speaking Out

At a private university in Chicago, a staff member who acknowledged the genocidal tactics Israel has used against Palestinians was falsely accused of racism by a member of the faculty. After a disciplinary investigation, the staff member was cleared of wrongdoing.

Palestine Legal will continue to monitor, track, and respond to incidents of repression. Contact us if you would like to report on these issues, request legal and advocacy assistance, or document incidents of suppression.

A Significant Uptick in Backlash

As people of conscience around the world reacted to Israel’s intensified military and colonial violence against Palestinians this spring, voices rang out from new corners in support of the Palestinian uprising.

In response, Palestine Legal witnessed a significant uptick in the amount and severity of backlash against Palestine advocates by Israel and its allies in the U.S.

Click through to explore the following themes in activism and backlash we witnessed between May and June 2021:

News & Updates

Palestine Legal Publishes Report on Trends in Palestine Advocacy and Backlash in 2021

This week, Palestine Legal published our 2021 Year-in-Review documenting trends in backlash facing the movement for Palestinian rights in the U.S. and the movement’s resilience against them. As people rose up in solidarity with Palestinians, Palestine Legal witnessed an intensification of repression strategies by Israel and its allies in the United States as they attempted to thwart a shift in public opinion in favor of Palestinian rights.

Palestine Protests: Palestine Is Still An Exception—Especially At Universities

Individuals, administrators, and organizations who had put out strong statements of support for Black and Asian lives and against state violence and racism in a domestic context suddenly came under fire for applying a similar logic to Palestinian rights and freedom.

Palestine Protests: Attempts To Get Palestine Advocates Fired

Some complaints about messages of support for Palestinian freedom focused on getting workers or students fired from their jobs or expelled from school. Most of these efforts failed, but still caused harm to those impacted, and have a chilling impact on speech in support of Palestinians.

Palestine Protests: Medical Workers & Students Targeted For Attacks

Doctors, medical students and workers all faced attacks for Palestine advocacy, including pressure not to speak out, the removal of a piece on Palestinian health from a well-known scientific magazine, and a campaign to remove a Palestinian doctor from her post at a hospital.

Palestine Protests: Graduation Ceremonies Censor Palestinian Students

Palestinian students wishing to honor and celebrate their heritage were censored, threatened, or otherwise targeted by their administrations at both high school and college graduation ceremonies.

Palestine Protests: Weaponized Accusations of Antisemitism Distract from Palestinian Rights

Widespread media reports of a rise in antisemitism as protests for Palestinian rights peaked in May relied on often false, misleading, decontextualized, and distorted information. The narratives were largely based on data from the ADL and other Israel advocacy groups, whose methodology has been called out as politically biased.

Palestine Protests: Solidarity Actions Signal a Shift Among Unions, Big Tech, Celebs & More

Recent developments demonstrate that the pro-Israel narrative is losing support in many sectors in society. Around the world, #BlockTheBoat protests have stood in solidarity with Palestinian workers. Labor unions, tech workers, and celebrities have also taken action in support of Palestinian freedom.