An event took place at Allen Hall on Wednesday evening that should be cause for concern. A number of organizations hosted an event entitled “Caf‚ Intifada.”

“Intifada” is a powerfully violent term, but, unlike “jihad,” which has myriad interpretations, the word entered the vernacular in the late 1980s and has come to connote a brutally violent campaign of terror aimed at innocent civilians. The second Intifada is not a grass roots uprising, but a calculated war of suicide bombings on buses, in malls and caf‚s (perhaps the title is a sick joke?), and includes the current scourge of Qassam rockets that are fired at Israeli homes with the intent to kill as many as civilians as possible. This is not a war of liberation, but rather, an attempt to weaken and ultimately destroy Israel, all financed and backed by Arab and Iranian regimes. In the end, the Intifada has left Palestinians worse off than when they initiated the offensive in 2000.

One of the beautiful qualities of this campus is the freedom of expression and thought: Say what you want about the political crisis, the struggle for peace, current obstacles, etc., but don’t mince words. It is an outright lie to claim to support such noble causes as peace and justice while simultaneously condoning acts of terror. It would be surprising and disturbing to imagine a pro-life student organization hosting an event entitled “Abortion Clinic Bombfest.” As an Allen Hall alumnus, I proudly stand behind much of the progressive events that are held at the residence hall, but the line must be drawn when an event glorifies the deliberate massacre of civilians.

If the goal is to promote peace, justice, and an equitable future for all in the Middle East, then Students for “Justice” in Palestine sure didn’t get the memo.

Eli Wald

Senior in LAS