Issue date: 12/1/04 Section: Arts

A controversial new group on Suffolk's campus this semester is raising eyebrows and awareness.

Suffolk Student's for Palestine is an organization dedicated to increasing knowledge on the political and human right's issues of Palestinians. Though this new club has had much to endure since they've become an official organization, gaining that status alone was a hard road. "We faced trouble getting registered last year," said President Jake Hess. "We had trouble finding a faculty advisor."

The concept of the organization had been in the works ever since last year, when a group of students sharing the same ideas about Palestine wished to become a registered club.

Earlier this semester, this goal was finally realized when Robert Laffey of the Government Department took on the role of faculty advisor for the group. "A lot of people are afraid to come out in support of Palestine," said Hess.

Proponents of Suffolk Students for Palestine feel that it's important to tell the tale of the other side of this age-old conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, a side that many in the organization do not believe is ever shown in America. "Support for Palestine is just seen as wrong," said Hess, who believes that those who show support for Palestine are "smeared anti-Semitic."

It is evident that not everyone is so enthusiastic about the new group; there are those on campus who object to its very existence and what is being advocated. "People are generally interested in what we are doing ... but we have had a few combative instances," stated Hess. There have been occurrences where individuals passing by the organization's table, set up in the Donahue lobby, have argued with members of the organization.

One such instance that Hess recalls was when a person of the opposing viewpoint declared that to end the conflict, all Palestinians should be killed or sent to Jordan.

Members of Students for Palestine who are confronted with such anger attribute it mostly to a lack of information. "They don't show any knowledge of the issue," said Hess, regarding individuals who attempt to argue based on what he sees as stereotypes and misinformation.

Continued...

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