http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/index.php/200911182357/UBC-Jewish-students-fight-back.html
Vancouver – Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) is a fairly new group. It was established in 1999 as a result of a merger between two student organizations based at Concordia and McGill universities.
According to its web site it claims to be “a non-profit, student-based organization that advocates on a strong social justice platform to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people in the face of human rights violations and all forms of racism, discrimination, misinformation and misrepresentation.”
This week the University of British Columbia branch of SPHR organized a week of anti-Israel events. The group called it ‘i.am.PALESTINE.@UBC: a week in solidarity’ [sic]. As a result of this series of events during the entire week, there was a palpable atmosphere of discord.
Numerous students emailed the Jewish Tribune Western Edition (JTWE) and phoned the B’nai Brith Canada Anti-Hate Hotline for advice in case of harassment and feelings of insecurity.
In March, 2009, SPHR held a similar week of events titled ‘Israeli Apartheid Week @ UBC.’ However, this week the atmosphere of hostility was exacerbated because it fell on the anniversary of Kristallnacht.
There was a booth with various displays and items for sale, such as kaffiyehs, T-shirts, buttons with slogans proclaiming ‘Free Palestine,’ key-chains and books with titles like Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide.
The week’s events included lecture presentations, film screenings of To See if I’m coming, Checkpoint and American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein.
The lowest point of the week, however, was a mock checkpoint to supposedly show the students what it’s like for Palestinians who have to walk through checkpoints. As a closing event on Friday, Nov. 13, SPHR was expected to stage a reading of the anti-Israel play My Name is Rachel Corrie.
Eyal Lichtmann, executive director of Vancouver Hillel, told JTWE that Hillel representatives learned of the SPHR plans through Facebook and that “we approached the university because we were concerned that today they want to put up a checkpoint, the next day they will put up a wall.”
Contrary to some rumours that were circulating, UBC officials did not suggest that Jewish students stay away from campus to be safe.
Lichtmann said that the university officials were “very helpful” and they clearly understood the situation and the threat to security.
“They are adding more security on campus, especially when this is happening on the Kristallnacht anniversary,” he said.
Hillel students not only refused to stay away, they organized a successful counter-demonstration by setting up their own table and wearing red T-shirts with a simple message, ‘Security Saves Lives,’ while handing out pamphlets with positive information about Israel.
The SPHR table in contrast seemed disorganized. For example, its powerpoint presentation was difficult to see and hear.
Salomon Rayek, BC chair of B’nai Brith Canada, witnessed these events. He met with Jewish students to let them know that B’nai Brith Canada stands with them.
“It is important to show support for our students and to make them feel secure on campus,” he said. “These students are on the front lines of the battle against antisemitism and prejudice against Israel. They feel it every single day.”
