JVP slams Trump order on pro-Palestine protests as 'authoritarian'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites + Agencies
30 Jan 2025 10:07

Jewish Voice for Peace condemns Trump's executive order targeting pro-Palestinian activists, calling it a threat to free speech.

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Activists from Jewish Voice for Peace occupy the pedestal of the Statute of Liberty. (Getty Images via AFP)

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) condemned an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, which targets pro-Palestine student activists, calling it a "violent crusade" against free speech and political dissent.

"We are disgusted by Trump's reported plans to continue his violent crusade aimed at gutting freedom and democracy," the progressive anti-Zionist group wrote on X, decrying the move as a "vile" attempt to silence opposition to US-backed Israeli actions in Gaza.

We are disgusted by Trump's reported plans to continue his violent crusade aimed at gutting freedom and democracy with an Executive Order today calling for the deportation of non-citizen anti-war activists, with a particular focus on students. 🧵
— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) January 29, 2025

The executive order authorizes the US government to use "all available and appropriate legal tools to combat anti-Semitism, including prosecuting and deporting those accused of anti-Semitic harassment." The measure specifically targets student-led anti-war protests on college campuses, spurred by the Israeli war on Gaza, which has resulted in over 47,000 killings.

JVP accused Trump and right-wing groups of using anti-Semitism pretexts to push their political agendas.

"Trump, the far-right, and ultra-conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation have never protected Jewish people; they are not concerned with Jewish safety," the organization stated.

The group called on elected officials and university leaders to reject the order, warning that it could undermine the "historic movement for Palestinian liberation" and potentially suppress other progressive movements.

JVP vowed to resist what it termed an "authoritarian", "unconstitutional", and "violent" order.

Driving the news

It is worth noting that Republicans have lately threatened to penalize colleges that permit pro-Palestine protests. In October of last year, prominent Republicans warned that they would withdraw billions in federal funding from top US universities and revoke their accreditation for "allowing" pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Last week, Trump suggested the idea of mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza to other countries, stating he would "just clean out" the entire strip, which led to immediate backlash and accusations of advocating for ethnic cleansing.

During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to deport pro-Palestinian Resistance students holding visas. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order, stating, "The US must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the US do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles."

Zionist group sending Trump list of pro-Palestine students to deport

Meanwhile, an American-Zionist group is reportedly compiling a list of names of international students on visas to send over to the new US administration under Donald Trump for deportation for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations on university campuses.

The World Betar Movement has lately launched a campaign to identify foreign students in the United States who have engaged in what they call "anti-Israel activities" on college campuses, according to The New York Post.

The group is compiling a list of names to send to the new Trump administration to expedite the deportation of those who oppose Israeli atrocities and support the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip.

The names of 30 students originating from Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Canada, and the United Kingdom, who are currently enrolled in some of the top US universities, including Columbia, UPenn, Michigan, Syracuse, and UCLA, among others, are already on the list.

Ross Glick, director of Betar's US chapter, accused pro-Palestine students of "anti-Semitism" and declared they possess a list of "Jew-hating foreign nationals on visas who support Hamas."

Glick emphasized that Betar is compiling the list using face recognition software and modern database technology and that the program corresponds with Trump's campaign vow to cancel student visas for anyone who expresses support for the Palestinian Resistance.

The World Betar Movement is reportedly in talks with Trump administration officials about taking legal action against foreign students and preventing what they see as the "abuse" of the American university system.