Harvard under new fire for antisemitism task force pick
Harvard law student Jonathan Frieden weighs in after a professor who previously signed a letter accusing Israel of wanting to ethnically cleanse Gaza was picked for the university's antisemitism task force.
Democrat Senate candidate Colin Allred has taken thousands of dollars in campaign donations from activists who have espoused anti-Israel views and are tied to radical groups who push the same agenda, a review of Federal Election Commission filings reveals.
Following the rise of antisemitism after Hamas's invasion of Israel last October, Allred said that he "unequivocally" denounces "antisemitism in all forms" and that his "support for Israel and its right to defend itself is unwavering." But over the years, he's accepted campaign contributions from individuals with anti-Israel ties, and his campaign remained silent when asked about the donations.
Allred previously took $312 while running for a House seat from Ibrahim Alhusseini, a venture capitalist and environmentalist who defended Palestinians' "hate" of Israelis.
"People ask why Palestinian kids often hate Israelis, and my simple answer is: If you live the life that Israel forces on them, I dare you not to hate. Most humans would rather die standing then live on their knees," Alhusseini wrote in a February 2018 Twitter post.
Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, is running for the Texas Senate seat held by Sen. Ted Cruz. (Tom Williams)
The Democrat, who is trying to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, received another $500 donation from Azhar Azeez, the then-president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), in 2018.
Azeez helped establish the Dallas Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) chapter, which called for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a woman known as "Lady Al-Qaeda," in 2021. She was convicted in 2010 for the shooting of U.S. service members in Afghanistan and allegedly holds ties to Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, who is considered the main architect of 9/11.
ISNA has also hosted speakers with antisemitic ties, including Hatem Bazian, who StopAntisemisitsm.org labeled "the most antisemitic Professor in the United States."
Demonstrators in support of Israel gather to denounce antisemitism and call for the release of Israeli hostages, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on November 14, 2023. (Ali Khaligh)
Among the other donors with anti-Israel viewpoints is Lorraine Leblanc, who in April 2022 wrote that Israel lived out "oppressive and brutal apartheid rule." Leblanc has given $750 to his campaign.
"Palestinians live in daily fear of violence from the Israeli military and settlers. Israel's oppressive and brutal apartheid rule affects every aspect of Palestinian life. I have witnessed this first hand," Leblanc posted on X.
Allred also received a $500 donation from Nichole Mossalam, who, from 2013 to 2016, served as the Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) Cambridge, according to her Facebook page.
The IBS Cambridge branch was frequented by Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Marathon bombers, as well as multiple worshipers tied to terrorist groups.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is running for re-election in Texas. (Tom Williams)
IBS has invited a long list of controversial speakers to engage in events with the group, including Tariq Ramadan, who, according to the Hoover Institution, has said that killing Israeli schoolchildren is "contextually explicable."
Another speaker was Nihad Awad, the executive director and co-founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), who recently said that he was "happy to see" the October 7 Hamas invasion of Israel and that the Jewish state did not have a right to self-defense, because it is an "occupying power."
In addition to some of his anti-Israel donors, Allred has also repeatedly refused to condemn Imam Omar Suleiman, who has called for an "intifada," which means violent uprising, against Israel. Suleiman also repeatedly called Israel an "apartheid state" and has said being gay is a "disease." The controversial Imam has also expressed support for the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment (BSD) movement, which is a pressure-point campaign seeking to punish Israel financially.
In 2019, Allred said Suleiman's "message of peace, unity, and support for our fellow Americans is needed now, more than ever." He has also met with multiple other groups who have espoused antisemitic views, including the Texas chapter of American Muslims for Palestine and Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
People stand together during the 'Jewish Community Vigil' for Israel in London, Monday, October 9, 2023, two days after Hamas fighters launched an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel. (Kin Cheung)
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Allred has a history of radical ties, including sending $1M in taxpayer funds to a group teaching "racial equity and identity" to four-year-olds.
He also received backlash for claiming that it would have been "better" if the Second Amendment "had not been written."
Allred's campaign and the anti-Israel donors did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Fox News' Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
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