Florida’s university system, in consultation with Gov. Ron DeSantis, has demanded that campus chapters of the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) be “deactivated,” citing its support for Hamas’ terrorism.
State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said the National SJP had released a toolkit that refers to Hamas’ attack as “resistance” and claims “Palestinian students in exile are part of this movement, not in solidarity with this movement.”
“Based on the National SJP’s support of terrorism, in consultation with Governor DeSantis, the student chapters must be deactivated,” he added.
The National SJP’s support for Hamas’ attack—which killed 1,400 Israeli civilians and 31 U.S. citizens—is a felony under Florida law, which prohibits “providing material support to a designated terrorist organization,” according to the memo.
Mr. Rodrigues said there are at least two universities with active National SJP chapters, but he did not specify which universities or if there would be any repercussions if they failed to comply with the order.
“These two student chapters may form another organization that complies with Florida state statutes and university policies. The two institutions should grant these two chapters a waiver for the fall deadlines, should reapplication take place,” he added.
The National SJP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tensions between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian students have led to harassment and assaults at some U.S. universities since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and Israel’s response in the Gaza Strip.
DeSantis Aims to Revoke Student Visas
Mr. DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, said during a multiday campaign event in South Carolina and Iowa that he would cancel visas for all foreign students who openly support Hamas if elected president.He specifically called out Harvard University students for holding demonstrations in favor of Hamas’ attacks “before the blood was even dry on the civilians in Israel that had been massacred.”
The anti-Israel positions of many prestigious college campuses, he said, were “a huge problem for our country to see” and a “disgrace to the nation.”
“I can tell you this,” he said. “When I’m president, if you’re a foreigner here on a student visa, and you’re making common cause with Hamas, I’m canceling your visa, and I’m sending you home.”
When asked about First Amendment concerns by members of the press, the governor defended the protesters’ right to openly praise the Gaza-based terrorist organization after saying he was not offended by these students opposing Israel, but rather that they were celebrating Hamas.
“It’s also representative of a sickness in our society that people would cheer that type of barbarism, and these universities have created a culture where that’s somehow OK.”
Along with the revoking of student visas, Mr. DeSantis added: “I think it’s totally appropriate for these companies to look at students who signed the pro-Hamas letters and say, ‘You know what? We’re gonna withdraw job offers,’ and all that stuff.”
While he concedes that not everyone in the Gaza Strip is Hamas, Mr. DeSantis told his audiences that the Palestinian people did vote Hamas into power in the region, and that “most of the people” were cheering in the streets in response to the attacks on Israel.
