Cornell Professor Sparks Outrage with Anti-Israel Activism

A Cornell University professor who has previously praised Hamas terror attacks has joined yet another anti-Israel protest on campus, drawing criticism for his unwavering support for a terrorist organization and its violent actions.

Cornell University professor J.E. Lucero, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, has once again ignited controversy by participating in an anti-Israel demonstration on campus. The protest, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), aimed to denounce Israel's actions in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The protest, which drew around 200 University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill students and staff, featured protesters marching in and out of buildings while spray-painting messages such as "Free Gaza," "F—K UNC," and "Israel is a terror state." Anti-Israel protesters also vandalized the UNC NROTC Naval Armory building with spray paint and draped a Palestinian flag from the gun turret.

Cornell Professor Sparks Outrage with Anti-Israel Activism

In a statement to the University's student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, SJP members demanded that UNC boycott "corporations and programs supporting Israel, including study abroad programs, and for the University to disclose and divest."

The protest comes amid ongoing campus unrest at UNC, which has seen several anti-Israel demonstrations in recent months. Last spring, a group of fraternity brothers at the school prevented the American flag on Chapel Hill's quad from touching the ground when anti-Israel agitators tried to replace it with the Palestinian flag.

Cornell Professor Sparks Outrage with Anti-Israel Activism

Professor Lucero's participation in the protest has drawn widespread criticism, given his past statements praising Hamas terror attacks. In October 2021, Lucero cheered the Hamas rocket attacks on Southern Israel, claiming that they were justified as a response to Israeli aggression.

Lucero's comments and actions have been condemned by Cornell University, Jewish organizations, and others who have called for him to be held accountable for his support of a terrorist organization.

Cornell Professor Sparks Outrage with Anti-Israel Activism

UNC has not yet responded to requests for comment on the protest and the ongoing anti-Israel activism on campus.

The anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses has been a growing concern in recent years, with groups like SJP leading protests and criticizing Israeli policies. Some critics have accused SJP of promoting anti-Semitism and using inflammatory rhetoric to delegitimize Israel and its right to exist.

Free speech advocates have defended the right of students to engage in political activism and express their views on campus. However, they have also emphasized the importance of maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment that protects the rights of all students, regardless of their political or religious beliefs.

The controversy surrounding Professor Lucero's involvement in anti-Israel protests highlights the complex and often divisive nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on college campuses. It remains to be seen how UNC will respond to the ongoing unrest and whether it will take steps to address concerns about anti-Semitism and protect the free exchange of ideas on campus.