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Pro-Israel Groups Slam Attack on Philadelphia College Student

An assortment of pro-Israel groups has issued a joint statement deploring the attack on a Jewish student at Temple University.

It also criticized a pro-Palestinian campus organization, and urged universities to monitor it and other likeminded groups.

In a statement released today, 12 organizations, including StandWithUs, the Zionist Organization of America and the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting (CAMERA), condemned the incident in which a Temple student, Daniel Vessal, was struck. Vessal, a fellow with CAMERA, was hit in the face by person at an informational booth for the group Students for Justice in Palestine. Students at the booth, set up at a campus fair Wednesday, also allegedly shouted anti-Semitic slurs at Vessal.

SJP issued a statement condemning the attack and denying that the assailant was a member of SJP. The statement also denied that any anti-Semitic slurs were used.

In their statement, the pro-Israel groups alleged that SJP “has a proven track record of intimidation, harassment, and incitement merging into anti-Semitism against Israel and its supporters on campus.” The organizations urged that SJP and groups like it be closely monitored.

They also called on Temple University to condemn the attack. Temple issued such a statement yesterday.

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