A California community college student devoted part of Friday’s commencement speech to anti-Semitic remarks about Israel’s alleged treatment of Palestinians.
Yana Abraban, a student at El Camino Community College, claimed midway through her speech that Israel was “killing and torturing Palestinians while we are talking.” new york post. “While I speak, I offer my graduation to all the Palestinians who have lost their lives because of the murder and torture of Palestinians by Israel’s oppressive apartheid state, and to those who continue to die every day.” she said.
Abraban told the New York Post that he was “inspired” by a CUNY law student who gave an anti-Semitic speech about Israel and “white supremacy” in late May. rice field. “And honestly, I feel inspired by her courage to speak up. .
She is descended from Palestinian refugees and “identifies as a Palestinian woman,” she said. school newspaper I have written. Born in Jordan, she immigrated to the United States when she was 12 years old. (Related: Anti-Semitism is on the rise in colleges, here’s why)
“Seven years ago, when I first set foot in this country as a Palestinian refugee, I would not have believed it if I had been told that one day I would be standing on this stage. increase.”
Yana Abraban
President Aso pic.twitter.com/28ivEfBYao— Elcamino College (@elcaminocollege) June 10, 2023
El Camino promoted Abraban’s speech on Twitter on Friday, posting a photo of him during the speech. “Seven years ago, when I first set foot in this country as a Palestinian refugee, I would not have believed it if I had been told that one day I would be standing on this stage. increase” Tweet Said.
The Stop anti-Semitic group on Sunday criticized Abraban’s rhetoric in a tweet containing a clip of his speech. “Once again a commencement speech was hijacked with false anti-Semitic rhetoric, this time at El Camino Community College in California.” Tweet claimed.
The student dismissed anti-Semitic allegations made by his commencement speech. “I felt the need to shine a real light on the atrocities committed by Israel as an apartheid state,” she told the New York Post. “This is far from anti-Semitism. I would never take religion lightly,” she added.
Claims of apartheid in Israel labeled Anti-Semitism by the European Union and controversial By the Anti-Defamation League, a leading Jewish organization. A report by Amnesty International accuses Israel of apartheid against the Palestinians. Wide condemned To Jewish groupand has been subject to criticism from the U.S. State Department and other Western countries.
