As The Israel Group was alerted by Stop BDS on Campus, Marcelle Alexandra Obeid, an active Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and BDS supporter, is running for the Democratic Central Committee in the 70th assembly district in Long Beach, California.
Obeid was head of Students for Justice in Palestine at the UC Davis were she also spearheaded their BDS campaign efforts.
From Obeid’s Facebook page:
Hey friends!
I’ve decided to run for public office for the LA County Democratic Central Committee this upcoming primary (June 7th). It’s time for more young progressives to get involved in the political process and to represent underserved communities whose voices go ignored. Of equal urgency is the need for us to cut the apathy. I want to make a meaningful change to our current system, and hope that I see more of my fellow activists also step up to the challenge to gain greater political agency.That being said, I need your support! If you live in Long Beach (District 70) and are a registered Democrat, please help me gather the 30 signatures I need to get nominated. Message me or comment below and I will come to you for your autograph!
Obeid’s anti-Israel resume, c/o Canary Mission:
Marcelle Alexandra Obeid
Occupation: Professional University: UC Davis Organization(s): BDS, SJP Close Connection(s): Maheen Ahmed, Susan Alkadri, Neda Awwad, Leslie Do,Reem Fatayerji, Azka Fayyaz, Jillian Mariano, Edina Metovic, Marcelle Alexandra Obeid, Evan Sandlin, Saleem Shehadeh, Diyala Shihadih, Anas Tresh Overview Marcelle Alexandra Obeid graduated in 2015 from the University of California Davis (UC Davis), with a degree in Political Science.
Obeid was the President of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) UC Davis for the 2014-2015 year. She was also heavily involved in the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement on the UC Davis Campus.
On November 15, 2014, during UC Davis’ Palestine Solidarity Week, Obeid and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) activist Gabi Kirk hosted a workshop entitled “Occupation as Degradation: Environmental Issues in Palestine and BDS.” The workshop attempted to establish linkage between environmental issues and the Arab-Israeli conflict, in order to generate support for a University of California Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) bill scheduled for later that year.
BDS
Obeid was the main author of the student senate divestment resolution at UC Davis in May 2015 and co-author of the resolution in January 2015. The January 2015 resolution was introduced after a previous attempt to pass it failed, in April 2014.
The April 2014 resolution called on UC to divest from holdings in companies “that aid in the Israeli occupation of Palestine and illegal settlements in Palestinian territories,” including Caterpillar, G4S PLC and Veolia Environment. The resolution failed, with the senate evenly divided. The ASUCD Vice President refused to break the tie.
Eight months later, another hearing was called to push the resolution. Following speeches from those supporting and opposing the bill, the anti-divestment advocates —about a third of the attendees— participated in a walk-out. As they left, a large group of pro-divestment promoters hollered “Allahu Akhbar!” The January 2015 resolution passed, 8-2-2.
“Hamas & Sharia law have taken over UC Davis,” Azka Fayyaz, one of the council members who voted for the resolution, posted on Facebook. Later, in an open letter to the student community, Fayyaz insisted her comment was “satirical”—and attacked “the leadership of AEPi, the Jewish fraternity at UC Davis, and Aggies for Israel,” claiming they reported the contents of her profile to “the Zionist lobby groups which they have been paid to represent.”
Two days following Fayyaz’s statements and the resolution vote, unidentified vandals spray-painted two large swastikas on a house belonging to the Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi).
UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi issued a statement that the resolution to divest did not reflect the position of UC Davis or the University of California system. The Board and Office of the President had earlier issued a statement affirming the Board’s position that student calls to action would not be entertained. UC Davis’ investment policy is set by the UC Board of Regents.
The January 2015 resolution was overturned as unconstitutional by the university’s Court of Associated Students, on the grounds that it was “primarily a political document” with insufficient relevance to student welfare on campus.
In May 2015, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) responded by proposing a new resolution alleging that “enabling Israel’s occupation of Palestine compromises the integrity of students’ education.” The May 2015 resolution passed, 10-0-2.
The BDS movement was co-founded in 2005 by Omar Barghouti. The movement is self-described as “a campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights.”
Campaigns include compelling institutions and individuals to divest from Israeli-affiliated companies, academic boycotts as well as physical rallies and protests.
The groups most notable achievement has been the infiltration of university campuses through lobbying for “BDS resolutions.” In these cases, backed by university anti-Israel affiliates, the university student government has been brought to vote on some sort of boycott of and divestment from Israel and Israeli-affiliated organizations. These resolutions, although non-binding, have been passed by student governments on numerous North American campuses.
BDS activity is often aggressive and disruptive. It is documented that universities that pass BDS resolutions see a marked increase in anti-Semitism on campus. In 2013, the student government of the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) debated a BDS resolution. Reports emerged of threats of violence, the spitting on a female student senator, and theft of the personal property of anti-BDS activists. As a result, the student government chose to vote via a “secret ballot” in order to ensure their own safety.
Barghouti and the BDS movement are proponents of the radical “one-state solution” that has been denounced as a scheme to dissolve Israel as the Jewish State. Barghouti has been quoted as saying, “Good riddance! The two-state solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is finally dead”, and that in a one-state “by definition, Jews will be a minority.”
The organization is affiliated with numerous anti-Israel groups worldwide, including ones that have been labeled terrorist organizations. The Jerusalem Post claims the BDS movement receives directives from Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood and the movement is considered extreme even by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, who stated his opposition to a BDS boycott of Israel in 2013.
SJP
In her role as SJP President, Obeid hosted a number of events at the 2014 Palestine Solidarity Week, including a talk entitled: Mass Incarceration: The Struggles of Palestinian Political Prisoners.
SJP was co-founded by Hatem Bazian and Snehal Shingavi in 2001 at UC Berkeley. Their intention was to advance the radical anti-Israel mission of theMuslim Brotherhood, but masked as a secular organization.
SJP members frequently intimidate and harass Jews and pro-Israel students. SJP Members have physically assaulted Jewish students, vandalized communal property and violently disrupted pro Israel speakers and events. SJP-run rallies regularly include hate-speech and chants such as “From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free”— a call for the destruction of the Jewish State.
SJP runs inflammatory campaigns against Israel including Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) resolutions, Israel-Apartheid initiatives, drives comparing Israel to Nazi Germany,mock checkpoints, “die-ins”, as well as rallies and protests.
SJP chapters regularly host speakerswho use language considered anti-Semitic by the U.S. State Department. Chapter events routinely include individuals and organizations linked to terrorist activity and call for violence against Jews.
When confronted, SJP demonizes and defames critics, branding attacks against them as “Islamophobic”— a term popularized by co-founder Hatem Bazian.
SJP is rapidly creating ahostileandunsafeenvironment on U.S. campuses. For this reason, it has been labeled by some as“Hamas on Campus.”
Social Media and Web Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011133407190
[Deleted] https://www.facebook.com/cellieobeid
Instagram: https://instagram.com/marcellus_wallace