(Jewish Group) Anti-Israel commencement speaker sparks another antisemitism debate at CUNY [View all]

A speaker with a history of anti-Israel statements gave a commencement speech at a CUNY School of Law graduation ceremony last weekend, prompting yet more accusations of antisemitism at the public university system.

Nerdeen Kiswani, the student who gave the speech, has amassed over 15,000 followers on Instagram. She created the pro-Palestinian advocacy group Within Our Lifetime, which has held rallies calling to “globalize the Intifada.”

During her speech, which focused on the Palestinian cause, Kiswani said that she is “facing a campaign of Zionist harassment by well-funded organizations with ties to the Israeli government and military on the basis of my Palestinian identity and organizing.” In a video of the speech, thunderous applause can be heard.

Ilya Bratman, executive director of Hillel at Baruch College, said that the student government at CUNY School of Law elected her as the speaker.

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