Palestinian hijacker scheduled to speak at American uni’s virtual event
Leila Khaled, who was part of a team that hijacked TWA Flight 840, is due to speak at an event organised by San Francisco State University
A Palestinian hijacker is scheduled to speak at a virtual roundtable discussion organised by San Francisco State University.
Leila Khaled was part of a team that hijacked TWA Flight 840 on its way from Rome to Tel Aviv in August 1969. A year later she participated in the attempted hijacking of an El Al flight from Amsterdam to New York City as part of the Dawson’s Field hijackings, a series of simultaneous hijackings carried out by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Khaled was arrested in London, where the pilot diverted the plane, and later released in exchange for hostages from another hijacking. She lives in Amman, Jordan.
Khaled, 76, will speak as part of a Sept. 23 event organised by the university’s Department of Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies on “Teaching Palestine.” Her discussion is titled “Whose Narratives? Gender, Justice, & Resistance: A conversation with Leila Khaled.” She is billed as a Palestinian feminist, militant and leader.
Jewish groups in San Francisco, as well as national Jewish organisation, have slammed the university’s decision to give Khaled a platform.
“An invitation to a public figure to speak to a class should not be construed as an endorsement of point of view,” said a statement from the university sent to J. The Jewish News of Northern California and other media outlets. “Higher education and the college experience are an opportunity to hear divergent ideas, viewpoints and accounts of life experiences.”
The statement, which the Forward reported came from the office of the university’s president, Lynn Mahoney, also said, “We recognise that the exercise of free speech and academic freedom can result in discomfort or pain for others.”
Khaled reportedly still has ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is classified as a terrorist organisation in the United States, as well as Canada, Israel and the European Union, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Among the groups that have criticised the university are the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, San Francisco Hillel and the local Jewish Community Relations Council.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
