Staff Reports
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state education system have hit back against the controversial group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). This is a brave move. Because the state doesn't allow helping foreign terrorists, they have told campuses to shut down SJP groups. This choice was made because of the National SJP's "Day of Resistance" toolkit, which shockingly called the killing of Israeli bystanders by Hamas terrorists a "historic win for the Palestinian resistance."
DeSantis orders state universities to disband Students for Justice in Palestine chapters https://t.co/67c0QgfC5v
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 25, 2023
In his letter to university presidents, Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, stressed the National SJP's link to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, an attack led by terrorists. Because they back terrorism, Mr. Rodrigues said that SJP chapters should be shut down. He also said that school officials who don't follow the rules could be dealt "adverse employment actions and suspensions."
The five-page SJP tools showed how shockingly involved they were in the attack. It had a picture of a paraglider on it, which was a clear reference to the paragliders that Hamas used in their surprise attack on innocent Israeli concertgoers. Not only were Palestinian students showing support, the toolkit also said that they were "PART of this movement."
If the Republicans choose to run for president in 2024, Governor DeSantis has made it clear that he is strongly against these kinds of terrorist attacks. After the attack, he started Operation Israel Rescue, which has already brought almost 700 Americans who were stuck in Israel back to the United States. The state has also sent 85 pallets of goods to Tel Aviv that were given.
Also, the state legislature has called a special session to talk about tightening sanctions on Iran. They want to make sure that Florida doesn't do business with companies that are friendly with Iran and could help fund Hamas and other terrorist groups. This proactive method shows that Florida is determined to fight terrorism in all its forms.
The National SJP, which has over 250 campus chapters, has not yet responded openly to the Florida announcement. However, after the horrible attack, top universities have been accused of supporting anti-Semitism. College campuses across the country were filled with pro-Palestinian groups and students who were happy about the terrible event that killed over 1,400 Israelis and 31 Americans.
It is clear that Governor DeSantis and Florida's State University System do not support these kinds of protests, which go beyond the protected First Amendment speech and openly back terrorist groups. Their actions and the suggested sanctions against Iran show that they are determined to stand up to people who want to hurt innocent civilians because of their wrong ideas.
