Chicago City Wire

In a controversial move, members of Northwestern University’s Middle Eastern and North African Student Association have expressed strong support for Palestinian “resistance” and referred to Hamas terrorists as “martyrs.”

This statement comes in the wake of the recent surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which has sparked intense debates about shifting perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict within some segments of the left-wing community, as well as the devastating toll the conflict has taken on both Israeli and Palestinian populations.

“Middle Eastern and North African Student Association members at @NorthwesternU ‘resoundingly support’ terrorism, call Hamas murderers ‘martyrs,‘” Zack Kessel said on X.

Kessel’s comments came after the Middle Eastern and North African Student Association released the statement below in the aftermath of the attack by Hamas terrorists on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7.

“We resoundingly support Palestinian resistance to over 75 years of Israeli state-sanctioned violence (1). We reject the notion that Palestinians must remain quiet and complacent in daily attacks on their land, their culture, their dignity, and most of all, their freedom,” the statement reads.

“Instead, we accept that this moment in history is integral to rightfully earning back what has been lost. For far too long, the Israeli government and its forces have stripped Palestinians of their human rights.”

“Daily and systemically, Israeli Occupation Forces raid and destroy Palestinian homes, desecrate holy sites, conduct inhumane surveillance of Palestinians, limit their mobility and access to basic necessities, illegally detain Palestinians without due process, and rob Palestinians of decent lives (2).”

“They rip children away from their parents, brothers away from their sisters, and make every attempt to de-spirit the Palestinian people through apartheid, and ethnic cleansing. These recent events display a fight we all resonate with: a fight for freedom from settler-colonialism.

“From South Africa to Algeria, history has shown us that decolonization is not abstract. It is a real process, a real fight; one that requires the utmost courage. For Palestine, decolonization was always a matter of when, not if. When is now.”

“As we write this, Palestinians on the ground are fighting for something much greater than themselves. They fight today, tomorrow, and always for a better world.”

“MENA SA grieves for the martyrs and civilians lost in this time. To our members: we are here to advocate on your behalf. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the MENA Executive Board for resources and support.”

“Until Liberation,

Northwestern University’s Middle Eastern and North African Student Association.”

Public recently explored the shift in support for Hamas among some segments of the radical Left, attributing it to a perceived sense of privilege, coddling, and narcissism, marking a departure from their historical stance on peace and anti-militarism.

There have been many noted instances of left-wing organizations endorsing Hamas’ terrorist actions, illustrating a change in their approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The Oct. 7 surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, involving simultaneous assaults from the sea, air, and ground, resulted in widespread destruction and casualties.

ABC News highlighted the devastating impact of the attack on both Israeli and Palestinian populations and the subsequent declaration of war by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

More than 1,300 Israelis were killed in the attack and 29 Americans.

Retaliatory airstrikes by Israel have resulted in the death of over 2,300 Palestinians.