by Chrissa Olson
El Camino College Associated Student Organization President Jana Abulaban drew national attention Friday after stating in an address to the graduating Class of 2023, “I gift my graduation to all Palestinians who have lost their lives, and those who continue to lose their lives every day, due to the oppressive apartheid state of Israel, killing and torturing Palestinians, as we speak.”
Abulaban’s speech was reported as anti-semitic, hate speech by Fox News, NYPost, Daily Mail and pro-Israel groups. Several pro-Palestine media outlets reported favorably on her remarks.
El Camino President Brenda Thames responded to the controversy on Wednesday, with a statement, saying, in part, “During our recent commencement ceremony, a student speaker who was not authorized to speak, other than to introduce another speaker, took it upon herself to make an anti-Israel statement. To be clear, her statement was not approved by El Camino College officials, and does not reflect the values, and views of El Camino College. Anti-Israel sentiments can lead to a rise in antisemitism.”
“Reactions to this incident have led to some hateful statements against the speaker, Palestinians and Muslims. This is also unacceptable and contravenes our values and mission,” Thames said.
Abulaban began her address on Featherstone Field at Murdoch Stadium by stating, “If I was told seven years ago as a Palestinian refugee stepping foot for the first time in this country that one day I’ll be standing on this stage I would not have believed that. I’m extremely thankful to have gotten to this point. And I do want to acknowledge that I wouldn’t have been here without the help and support of many. So today I gift my graduation to my parents, to my grandparents, and to my ancestors who have sacrificed a lot for me.”
After then addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, she concluded her two-minute speech by telling graduates, “I hope you also use your skills and talents to bring peace and harmony to this world because that is very much needed…”
According to the NY Post interview, Abulaban was inspired to interject the Israeli Palestinian conflict by a recent CUNY (City University of New York) law school commencement speech. The CUNY speaker, Fatima Mousa Mohammed, said Israel would “indiscriminately rain bullets and bombs on worshippers, murdering the old, the young.”
Abulaban declined requests for comments for this story.
In a profile of Abulaban by El Camino’s newspaper, The Union, she says she immigrated to the U.S. from Jordan in 2016, at the age of 12 after her grandfather, who was living in the United States, sponsored Abulaban’s parents and their five children. Her grandmother had fled to Jordan from Palestine.
Abulaban’s speech was the second time in recent months the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused a local school controversy.
Last November, Manhattan Beach School Board Member Jason Boxer was criticized by local Jewish organizations after using their district Instagram account to advocate on behalf of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), which accuses Israel of being an apartheid state.
Boxer subsequently resigned from the school board without stating their reason for resigning. ER
