FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting & Analysis
March 7th, 2022
BOSTON, March 7th, 2022 – Each spring, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) chapters, and Palestinian Societies on university campuses around the world host “Israel Apartheid Week” (IAW), a series of events, outdoor displays, and protests intended to slander the State of Israel and antagonize its supporters.
Their goal? To convince students of the ludicrous assertion that Israel is an “apartheid state” with repressive laws and lesser social status for its ethnic minorities. A lie that has been debunked time and time again.
The Campus Department of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting & Analysis (CAMERA) is proud to launch the next iteration of Apartheid Week Exposed (AWE), an educational campaign from March 7th-April 1st covering the history, politics, and social dynamics present in Israel and Palestinian Authority-controlled territories.
“This year’s campaign handily debunks the claims routinely spread during Israel Apartheid Week, but we’ve decided not to stop there. Our campaign website, infographics, and articles are intended to be a resource for students anytime they encounter anti-Zionist canards out on the quad or in the classroom,” said Aviva Rosenschein, International Campus Director for CAMERA on Campus.
AWE is CAMERA on Campus’s most significant endeavor yet. The campaign consists of an updated website with an interactive “apartheid wall,” similar to what students are likely to encounter on campus, a plethora of shareable infographics for social media, and a campus speaking tour.
“Each virtual wall section provides helpful context that mock apartheid walls on campus leave out,” said Sam Price, CAMERA on Campus’ Social Media Manager. “Users will find a collection of infographics, articles, and videos; it’s a great way for students to source useful information when they encounter Apartheid Week events and displays on campus.” continued Price.
A speaking tour is a major addition to this year’s campaign, a challenge the pandemic has not made feasible in over two years. This year, CAMERA has partnered with Africans for Peace, a peacemaking organization that brings an “African lens to the global debate on peace and stability on our continent and around the world.” Africans for Peace is ready to address the Israeli apartheid canard head-on. Klaas Mokgomole, head coordinator for AFP, said this regarding the U.S campus climate:
“South Africa’s triumph over the brutal apartheid regime was only possible through honest dialogue and engagement between parties. Supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign like SJP appropriate our history to serve their anti-Israel agenda. They don’t care about the truth or forging a path to peace. Students need to hear that these comparisons between apartheid South Africa and democratic Israel are simply unfounded.”
For many students, CAMERA’s campaign could not have come sooner. A few weeks ago, the National Union of Students, the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom, announced its solidarity with anti-Zionist groups who deem Israel to be an “apartheid state.”
“It saddens me greatly that a body that is meant to represent all students is happy backing a reductionist movement that is clearly linked with an increase in harassment and antisemitism towards Jewish students,” said Saul Levene, CAMERA Fellow at the King’s College London
Levene plans to share the AWE website and social media posts with crucial members of the KCL community and groups within the NUS Coalition.
Follow #ApartheidWeekExposed on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates on the AWE campaign. Visit apartheidweekexposed.org for more information.
Are you interested in speaking out against anti-Israel bias? For current students, alumni, and community members interested in contributing to the campaign, CAMERA on Campus is now taking open submissions. Visit opensubmissions.camera for more details!
About CAMERA:
Founded in 1982, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America is a media monitoring, research, and membership organization devoted to promoting accurate and balanced coverage of Israel and the Middle East. CAMERA fosters rigorous reporting while educating news consumers about Middle East issues and the role of the media. Because public opinion ultimately shapes public policy, distorted news coverage that misleads the public can be detrimental to sound policymaking. A non-partisan organization, CAMERA takes no position regarding American or Israeli political issues or ultimate solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Media Contact
Douglas Sandoval
Managing Editor, CAMERA on Campus
douglas@camera.org