Esteemed scholar Dr. Rabab Abduhaldi discusses institutional Zionism, how to combat it

New Orleans, LA – During a visit to New Orleans, Dr. Rabab Abduhaldi held an evening talk addressing students, community members and activists about the dangers and impacts of institutional Zionism and ways to combat it in academia and beyond.

On January 11, at the University of New Orleans, Dr. Abdulhadi shared her decades-long experience battling institutionally embedded Zionism, its various modes of operation, and tactics it uses to repress Palestinian activism.

The event was hosted by New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP), University of New Orleans Students for a Democratic Society (UNO SDS), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and Palestinian Youth Movement New Orleans. Alongside Dr. Abdulhadi were NOSHIP, SJP, and SDS’ own student leaders who have tirelessly built a strong, local student movement over the past year.

As the founding director and Senior Scholar of the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies Program at San Francisco State University, Dr. Abdulhadi’s past and present work is dedicated to fostering critical conversations about Palestinian oppression, resistance and liberation.

Despite the university administration’s unjust cancellation of her Teaching Palestine course, Dr. Abdulhadi successfully held the course on her own accord with over 500 participants. “Zionism is most powerful in university administration,” said an SDS student who spoke of his own repression on a New Orleans campus. “As Dr. Abdulhadi mentioned, the administration is the enemy of the students and their allies. When we want divestment or any other progressive demand, we need to be organized and willing to take it.”

Dr. Abdulhadi is a lifelong organizer and public intellectual. She has co-organized delegations to Palestine, and her leadership in various coalitions and boards has been instrumental to advancing the BDS movement on a national and global scale. Inspired by Dr. Abdulhadi’s experience and steadfastness, SJP student activist A’ishah Abdallah shared insights about divestment efforts on UNO’s campus.

“UNO is a powerful organizing house for Palestinian students and their activities,” said Abdallah. “Although we might still face some restrictions, UNO is a public university which gives us some freedom to organize.”

“I don’t lose hope,” said Dr. Abdulhadi towards the end of her talk. “I’ve been a student organizer; I went to my first demonstration at the age of eleven. I believe people will always be able to win. The leadership in the student movement and encampments in this country has been very impressive. I am happy to talk about the past, give the history, but the students will move us forward. You got it, and I tip my hat to you.”

“We are here tonight not just to listen but to strategize, to learn from history, and to leave with a renewed sense of purpose,” said NOSHIP’s Maya Sanchez. NOSHIP, alongside several pro-Palestine organizations in the city, will be leading a Palestine solidarity contingent on January 20 for a citywide march commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr, day, which coincides with the inauguration of President Donald Trump. A broad coalition of various local movements will convene on this day to advance various demands against Trump’s racist agenda, including an end to racist policing, end to attacks on immigrants, end to U.S. aid to Israel, and defending the right to unionize and strike.

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