The Ohio State University (@OhioState) administration canceled a controversial BDS referendum following allegations of numerous campaign violations by the pro-Hamas group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Initially pulled from the ballot due to these violations, the student government at OSU had briefly reinstated it, sparking outcry from various quarters accusing the referendum of fostering antisemitism on campus. Critics, including public figures and organizations, highlighted the referendum's potential to exacerbate antisemitism, citing OSU's existing issues with such discrimination and instances of violence against Jewish students. The decision to remove the BDS question from the ballot was seen as a response to illegal and illegitimate campaigning and backdoor efforts by SJP, as well as a broader call to protect Jewish students from antisemitism, condemn such acts, and hold tax-exempt elite institutions accountable for not addressing despicable anti-Semitism and ensuring Jewish students are not bullied or harassed.
ACTION ALERT ⬇️ Thankfully, the @OhioState administration stepped in today to cancel an illegal and antisemitic BDS referendum. But SJP is already trying to force the vote at a later date. Call on OSU to block a future vote on this antisemitic referendum: https://t.co/IOaFNMZ5fT
There is no room for this despicable anti-Semitism in our society and certainly not on college campuses. I’ve implored the Biden Administration to do more to ensure Jewish students are not bullied or harassed on campus. https://t.co/39WSULplyy
Jewish college students are facing violence on their campuses while universities do NOTHING to condemn blatant antisemitism and protect their students. I’ll continue to work to hold these tax-exempt elite institutions accountable and ensure they’re not rewarded for fostering…
Ohio State pro-Hamas group Students for Justice in Palestine's campaign to delegitimize the Jewish State was itself conducted illegitimately, with numerous violations of the university’s bylaws leading to the referendum being disqualified. By @HenMazzig: https://t.co/00DUAZNUw7
BREAKING: @OhioState just canceled its antisemitic BDS vote following SJP’s numerous campaign violations. https://t.co/hIMJs6BfUc https://t.co/E708Il5Gi8
BREAKING: @OSU just canceled its antisemitic BDS vote following SJP’s numerous campaign violations. https://t.co/hIMJs6BfUc https://t.co/g5dc25Qkh0
#BREAKING: After illegal campaigning and backdoor efforts by SJP to get their antisemitic divestment referendum to a vote, @OhioState has removed the BDS question from the ballot. https://t.co/02AiqHmaeC
OSU already has a raging antisemitism problem. Now, the pro-Hamas group SJP decided to illegitimately launch a referendum calling on @OhioState to divest from the Jewish State. @HenMazzig calls for the referendum question to be removed from the ballot: https://t.co/j8GxtrqZly
We have seen time and time again that BDS activity on college campuses only contributes to antisemitism. @OhioStatePres and the administration at @OhioState should reject antisemitism and shut down the BDS referendum being pushed by radical antisemitic students on campus. https://t.co/zPp0qA9xjF
A BDS referendum was pulled at @OhioState due to campaign violations by @SJPOSU. But at the last minute, OSU's student government put it back on the ballot. Call on OSU's administration to shut down the antisemitic vote and protect Jewish students: https://t.co/pHCjCLhoe5