Jana Abulaban, a student of publicly funded El Camino Community College, was allowed to spew antisemitic hate during her commencement speech Friday during a graduation ceremony in Torrance, Calif.
The 18-year-old student is head of the college’s Associated Students Organization and she accused Israel of “killing and torturing Palestinians as we speak.’
“I gift my graduation to all Palestinians who have lost their life and those who continue to lose their lives every day due to the oppressive apartheid state of Israel killing and torturing Palestinians as we speak,’’ said Abulaban said, to a smattering of applause.
The nonprofit watchdog group StopAntisemitism shared footage of Abulaban’s remarks, adding: “Yet another graduation speech is hijacked with false antisemitic rhetoric, this time at El Camino Community College, CA. Jana Abulaban, students association president, outrageously claimed the “apartheid state of Israel” is “killing and torturing Palestinians as we speak”. El Camino received approx. $150 million in federal, state, and local tax dollars for the 2022-2023 school year according to its budget.”
Yet another graduation speech is hijacked with false antisemitic rhetoric, this time at El Camino Community College, CA.
Jana Abulaban, students association president, outrageously claimed the “apartheid state of Israel” is “killing and torturing Palestinians as we speak”.
El… pic.twitter.com/QF3vKYEXGl
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 12, 2023
Turns out, Abulaban “identifies as a Palestinian woman,” according to the school’s newspaper, but she was never actually a Palestinian refugee, according to the New York Post, which said her grandmother was.
Abulaban told The Post that she was “inspired” by CUNY Law School student commencement speaker Fatima Mousa Mohammed’s speech last month, which also accused Israel of indiscriminately killing Palestinians.
El Camino Community College saw fit to promote the student’s speech on Twitter, but oddly selected a different quote: “If I was told 7 years ago, as a Palestinian refugee stepping foot for the first time in this country, that one day I’ll be standing on this stage — I would not have believed it. I’m extremely thankful to have gotten to this point.”
“If I was told 7 years ago, as a Palestinian refugee stepping foot for the first time in this country, that one day I’ll be standing on this stage — I would not have believed it. I’m extremely thankful to have gotten to this point.”
Jana Abulaban
ASO President pic.twitter.com/28ivEfBYao— El Camino College (@elcaminocollege) June 10, 2023
In the spirit of CNN’s peaceful protest narrative set against a backdrop of a burning city, Abulaban stood by her “peaceful message.”
“This is very far away from being antisemitic. I would never disrespect a religion,” she said. “I prepared a speech … to fight for justice worldwide through my voice and advocacy work. It was really just a peaceful message that I was trying to get out there.”
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story from twitter:
“…. to all Palestinians who have lost their life and those who continue to lose their lives every day due to the oppressive apartheid state of Israel killing and torturing Palestinians as we speak,’’
Are these type of speeches reviewed before they are given? Would seem…
— Tomgrantham (@tomgrantham07) June 13, 2023
If She represents the best that your school has to offer, you
have no business educating Students
Shameful, absolutely Shameful !!!!
— amber1212 (@inzzy1220) June 12, 2023
How can you allow a student to express such lies about the Jewish State of Israel? Her remarks are a lie and antisemitic! Shame on you, #ElCaminoCollege !
— Dr.Estella Sneider Bessudo (@DrEstella) June 13, 2023
Did anyone on stage rebuke the hateful lies she spewed or did you just endorse and swallow it?
— John Campbell (@mcsoupman) June 12, 2023
El Camino should be held accountable for allowing the promotion of hate. We must not tolerate such actions as they have the potential to not only target Israel but also impact people from diverse backgrounds, races, and cultures.
— Waismann Method®: Medical Opioid Detox Specialists (@opiates) June 12, 2023
Fortunately mot much enthusiasm shown/heard for graduate’s inappropriate remarks. Who goes to graduations to hear political diatribe, especially the sort that is deeply divisive/insulting to a large part of our country?
— Thomas Einstein (@TEinsteinMD) June 12, 2023
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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