Pro-Palestine activist Nerdeen Kiswani leads chants at Nakba Day event
(Source: MEMRI)

The founder of a radical anti-Israel, pro-Hamas activist group said she does not want Zionists “anywhere” in the world while speaking in defense of a person who called for “Zionists” to leave a crowded subway car in New York City.

Nerdeen Kiswani, the founder of Within Our Lifetime, wrote on Twitter/X on Thursday that “We don’t want zionists in Palestine, NYC, our schools, on the train, ANYWHERE.”

“This is free speech,” she continued, “it is saying we don’t want racists here.”

Zionism refers to the belief that there should be a Jewish state in some part of the land of Israel.

Kiswani later emphasized that “Even believing in the ‘two state solution’ makes you a Zionist whether you realize it or not.” This includes Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, she claims, because “he’s a puppet and doesn’t challenge its [Israel’s] right to exist.”

Eitan Fischberger, a communications analyst and former Staff Sargent in the Israel Defense Forces, responded to Kiswani’s statement saying “Somebody help me: What do you call it when people want to ethnically cleanse the Jews from everywhere on Earth?”

But Kiswani argued back, “Zionist does not mean Jewish. Most Zionists in the US are Christian.”

Kiswani’s statements came in response to backlash caused by a fellow anti-Israel activist yelling, “Raise your hand if you’re a Zionist… this is your chance to get out…,” while on a crowded subway car earlier this month.

The suspect, an unidentified man, is being searched for by the New York Police Department. Police reportedly intend to charge him with coercion and possibly a hate crime charge.

NYPD Chief of Transit, Michael M. Kemper, wrote on Twitter/X, “NYPD Detectives are looking for this individual – wanted in connection to a criminal incident on 6/10 inside a packed subway car at Union Square station – where he shouted ‘raise your hands if you’re a Zionist, this is your chance to get out.’”

Kiswani’s latest statement is an addition to a long list of her history of controversial comments. 

In Apil, Kiswani refused to condemn the chant “Death to America,” and after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, she refused to condemn the attack and the terrorist organization.

On October 8, her organization organized a protest to celebrate the prior day’s attack. Within Our Lifetime wrote it was to “defend the heroic Palestinian resistance [Hamas].” 

Then, in May, at a rally, she declared, “Biden is the oldest president in our entire history,” Kiswani said, “He is going to die soon!” It was followed by overwhelming excitement and cheers from her fellow rally-goers.

Her organization, Within Our Lifetime, was behind the recent protests at the Nova Music Festival exhibit, which was about the more than 300 civilians slaughtered by Hamas while at a music festival.

The protest included several instances of antisemitism, prompting widespread condemnation, including from US President Joe Biden and progressive members of Congress.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter/X “The callousness, dehumanization, and targeting of Jews on display at last night’s protest outside the Nova Festival exhibit was atrocious antisemitism – plain and simple.”