New research argues that today’s anti-Israel campus movement is the product of decades of strategic organization, not a spontaneous student uprising.
A study by Dr. Kobby Barda traces modern pro-Palestinian activism in the US to a 1991 Muslim Brotherhood memorandum that called for building long-term influence inside universities, student unions and other American institutions.
The memorandum described universities as crucial arenas for shaping future leaders and listed a network of Muslim student, community and advocacy organizations. Barda argues that the organizational methods used by groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine closely resemble the blueprint’s strategy, even when no formal affiliation is acknowledged.
The research points to the Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing trial, in which five senior officials were convicted of providing material support to Hamas. Following the prosecution, activists reportedly adapted by moving away from centralized funding and relying instead on nonprofit partnerships, small grants, crowdfunding and volunteer networks.