Pro-Palestinian Students at University of Maryland Protest Panel on Dialogue Across Political Differences Pro-Palestinian students at the University of Maryland protested a panel discussion titled “Working Across the Divide,” which focused on fostering dialogue across political differences. The event, held on April 21, featured CNN’s Van Jones and University of Illinois Professor Ilana Redstone, both of whom faced accusations of promoting anti-Palestinian rhetoric and justifying Israel’s occupation and alleged genocide against Palestinians. Students from the University of Maryland Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Palestinian Cultural Club (PCC) criticized the speakers for minimizing Palestinian suffering and for their perceived complicity in normalizing Israeli policies. The SJP and PCC argued that the panel’s premise of a “both sides” discussion was invalid, asserting that Israel’s actions constitute genocide. They claimed the speakers had built their careers on “normalizing occupation, genocide, and apartheid,” with specific criticism directed at Jones for allegedly “systematically minimizing sympathy for Palestinians” and Redstone for her role in the termination of Professor Steven Salaita, whom they accused of being fired for criticizing Israel’s 2014 bombardment of Gaza. A member of the SJP told The Diamondback that the panelists “all had Zionist perspectives and have repeatedly justified the apartheid occupation of Palestine by Israeli forces.” The student paper cited United Nations and Associated Press data on Gazan casualties since the start of the conflict. A student studying ancient Middle Eastern religions echoed the SJP and PCC’s claims, stating, “There is no middle ground on issues like this.#university_of_maryland #students_for_justice_in_palestine #palestinian_cultural_club #van_jones #ilana_redstone
