Video footage of a City University of New York (CUNY) security officer saying he wishes death on pro-Palestinian demonstrators has appeared online. Donald Girard told the protestors that he supports “killing all you guys” during a demonstration at the university’s Staten Island campus, and journalist Hebh Jamal caught the interaction on tape and posted it to social media.
In the exchange, one protestor accused the security official of supporting genocide, and he replied that he did support it, but only if the protestors were on the receiving end.
A spokesperson for the university later released a statement saying the college condemned “the offensive language” used during an “otherwise wonderful commencement” event convened to celebrate 2,000 students. The statement additionally confirmed that Mr. Girard had been suspended from duty.
The Students for Justice in Palestine group said it staged the protest in response to CUNY’s “complicity” in the “genocide of Palestinians” – a frequent accusation directed at Israel for the conduct of its war against the terror groups Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
A United Nations court meanwhile ordered the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) to cease its operations in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) Judges voted by a majority of 13 to 2 to order the Jewish state to withdraw from Rafah and “halt its military offensive.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed, however, that he intends to ignore the ruling and will continue to pursue “complete victory” over Hamas. Mr. Netanyahu has consistently stated that Rafah is the last remaining Hamas stronghold in Gaza and that he intends to keep his promise to the Israeli people to wipe it out permanently.
Israel’s former ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, wrote on social media that the UN’s officials do not live with the impact of Hamas aggression, saying they live in comfort while approximately 125 Israeli hostages remain in captivity. He added that the Jewish state will not cease operations until all hostages are rescued.
