Israel Haters Demand SFSU Provide Alternative Venue After Zoom Refuses to Host Webinar With Leila Khaled
David Lange
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Some good news.
This evening, Zoom Video Conferencing informed The Lawfare Project of its decision to deny use of Zoom’s service for a webinar featuring Leila Khaled, a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. The webinar—which was being hosted by San Francisco State University (SFSU) and, appallingly, supported by SFSU President Lynn Mahoney—was scheduled to be held tomorrow via Zoom.
Zoom’s correct (and lawful) decision was brought about by The Lawfare Project’s legal efforts and significant public pressure from #EndJewHatred, a new grassroots Jewish civil rights movement barely two weeks old.
The Lawfare Project initially sent a letter to Zoom early last week warning that, by knowingly permitting Khaled to use its platform to communicate directly to U.S. college students, Zoom would risk exposure to criminal liability under 18 U.S.C. § 2339B, which makes it unlawful to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Today, #EndJewHatred took direct action in San Jose, CA, staging a protest against Zoom and SFSU for knowingly supporting terrorism and enabling anti-Semitism. After intensive dialogue with Zoom officials over the past two days, Zoom issued the following statement to The Lawfare Project:
“Zoom is committed to supporting the open exchange of ideas and conversations, subject to certain limitations contained in our Terms of Service, including those related to user compliance with applicable U.S. export control, sanctions, and anti-terrorism laws. In light of the speaker’s reported affiliation or membership in a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization, and SFSU’s inability to confirm otherwise, we determined the meeting is in violation of Zoom’s Terms of Service and told SFSU they may not use Zoom for this particular event.”
While this does constitute a victory, it does not mean that Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas (AMED) Studies at San Francisco State University will not try to find another platform to host her propaganda talk. In fact, they are demanding SFSU provide “an alternative venue.”
SFSU President Lynn Mahoney has already defended hosting the talk, so we will need to see how this develops.
For the record, although I support freedom of speech, I articulated why I oppose this Khaled event here:
Please sign the petition and continue to write to Mahoney at her email: [email protected]. You can also contact SFSU Chancellor Dr. Timothy P. White by phoning (562) 951-4000.
Update: I’m loving this tweet by the Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission.
Don’t need to hear both sides. https://t.co/LxPtZfl3jc
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) September 23, 2020
Previously on Israellycool: WATCH: Interview With Leila Khaled Hijacking Survivor Rodney Khazzam
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David Lange
