US lawyer: Pro-Israel groups stifle Palestinian voices through antisemitism accusations

By Islam Dogru

There is an understanding in the US that restricts the freedom of expression of Palestinians, according to Justin Sadowsky, a lawyer.

The American civil rights attorney said some pro-Israeli groups portray Palestine supporters as antisemitic to delegitimize Palestine.

The echoes of pro-Palestinian statements and protests in the US, especially on university campuses, have continued following the latest Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

While pro-Israel groups label student demonstrations in support of Palestine as "antisemitism," civil rights advocates emphasize that the actions fall within the constitutionally guaranteed "freedom of expression."

Sadowsky, a Jew himself who has been a civil rights lawyer in Washington DC since 2005, commented on debates about antisemitism and freedom of expression on university campuses in an interview with Anadolu.

"Unfortunately, some pro-Israel groups, such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which is assumed to be dedicated to combating antisemitism, portray supporters of Palestine as antisemitic as a way to delegitimize Palestine," he said.

- 'Oct. 7 brought this all to a big head'

Addressing the discussions about anti-sentiment and freedom of expression at universities, Sadowsky noted that practices at state and private universities may differ.

Sadowsky said freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed at state universities, while private universities may have more independence and different practices.

He added that with rare exceptions, private and state universities generally value the principle of freedom of expression.

"Now, Oct. 7 brought this all to a big headwater," he said.

Sadowsky said since Oct. 7, the day the Palestinian resistance group Hamas attacked Israel, supporters of Palestine have been wrongly accused of antisemitism, and some final-year students who were promised job contracts by companies before graduation have had those canceled.

Addressing complaints from Jewish students about pro-Palestinian views on campuses, Sadowsky said: "It may be unfortunate if you are uncomfortable with someone else's political protest, but that's your problem. It should not prevent other people from advocating for issues that are important to them."

He said lawsuits have been filed against universities on the matter since Oct. 7, but he does not believe any results will come from them.

- 'Islamophobia in this country is serious. It is often deadly'

Pointing out that pro-Israel groups are actively campaigning, Sadowsky said: "One of the things they do is use out-of-context or quickly misunderstood clips to make people say or discuss things they didn't say, and then create a huge anger machine by accusing them of being antisemitism."

Despite statements by the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to a congressional committee earlier this week condemning violence, Sadowsky indicated that those officials were questioned and somewhat associated with a pro-Palestinian stance.

Addressing Islamophobia in the US, he said: "Islamophobia in this country is serious. It is often deadly. It is affecting a lot of people's lives, and the government and the population should treat it seriously and take it into consideration."

He explained that pro-Israel groups are trying to label the chant, "From the River to the Sea Palestine Will be Free" and the call for another Intifada (uprising) as antisemitic.

Emphasizing that the slogan means freedom for Palestine, and the concept of Intifada is resisting occupation rather than calling for violence and genocide, Sadowsky said: "How pro-Palestinians who use this expression are behaving in a highly inappropriate way? (Then) Why is it OK for Israel's official position?"

- Pro-Palestinian views are 'freedom of expression'

This week, the US House of Representatives' House Education and Workforce Committee urged the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, and MIT to testify about the alleged increase of antisemitism at universities.

Attempting to answer committee members' questions, the presidents said they would fight against antisemitism and all forms of increasing Muslim antagonism and hatred. They argued that pro-Palestinian views should be evaluated within the scope of freedom of expression.

- Investigation into universities

Following the Hamas offensive, the US Department of Education launched an investigation into allegations of hate incidents on university campuses.

As a result of the investigations, the agency will provide recommendations to schools, and if they are not followed, schools may risk losing federal funds.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas in Istanbul