Tel Aviv University researchers. Photo: TAU.

On the morning of October 27, the Hadash and Balad chapters at Tel-Aviv University held a protest in support of the Lion’s Den terrorist group. This Palestinian militant group has been responsible for numerous shooting attacks in Israel, and has become wildly popular among young Palestinians in the West Bank since its emergence in August.

During the protest, Hadash and Balad members were seen chanting in support of the “Intifada,” and called the Lion’s Den members martyrs. Their chants honored the terrorists, and the Arab students declared that they would continue to fight the “occupation” in the dead terrorists’ memory.

The Lion’s Den has murdered several innocent civilians and killed two young soldiers within the course of one week, in early October. One of these victims was 21-year-old First Sergeant Ido Baruch.

Defending the Lion’s Den and supporting such violence undermines and delegitimizes the existence of the state of Israel. This kind of activism on a university campus incites violence and supports terrorism.

The protest was inspired by the remarks of Hadash-Ta’al Knesset member, Aida Touma-Silman. After the funeral of five Lion’s Den members during an IDF raid, Touma-Silman wrote on her Facebook page, “Nablus bids farewell to our martyrs today.” Despite being an Israeli MK, Touma-Silman was actively glorifying terrorism by making such remarks. Instead of agreeing with Aida Touma-Silman, these students should have condemned her hateful rhetoric.

Touma-Silman’s statement of alleged martyrdom highlights a common theme that constantly inspires terrorism in Israel. The Palestinian Authority even has a martyrs fund, which pays monthly cash stipends to terrorists, and the family members of dead or imprisoned terrorists.

When will Tel Aviv University (TAU) President Porat issue a statement or response to the heinous actions of TAU students in support of terrorism? And how will these student groups be permitted to remain operational? Students cannot be expected to feel comfortable on campus and sit with classmates that support terrorists. Free speech is a cherished right on college campuses, but when free speech incites bigotry and violence, that kind of rhetoric cannot be tolerated.

Miriam Blum is a 2022-2023 CAMERA on Campus Israel Fellow at Tel-Aviv University.