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A commencement speaker at California's El Camino Community College landed in hot water over remarks many are slamming as "antisemitic" for an attempted takedown of Israel at the podium.
"I gift my graduation to all Palestinians who have lost their life and those who continue to lose their lives every day due to the oppressive apartheid state of Israel killing and torturing Palestinians as we speak,’’ 18-year-old Jana Abulaban said at the college's graduation ceremony last Friday.
Abulaban, who identifies as a Palestinian woman, was born in Jordan and immigrated to the U.S. at age 12.
El Camino College graduation speaker Jana Abulaban criticized Israel in her commencement speech. (Twitter @elcaminocollege)
She told The New York Post on Monday that she felt "inspired" by the controversially progressive speech delivered by CUNY Law School graduate and commencement speaker Fatima Mousa Mohammed, who made similar accusations about the country.
She said Mohammad's "courage to speak up" was a key factor.
On Twitter, El Camino Community College caught flak for sharing an image from Abulaban's address, along with a far less controversial quote than the ones garnering media attention.
"If I was told 7 years ago, as a Palestinian refugee stepping foot for the first time in this country, that one day I’ll be standing on this stage — I would not have believed it. I’m extremely thankful to have gotten to this point,’’ the caption quoted.
El Camino Community College received criticism for tweeting a benign quote from the speech. (El Camino Community College/Facebook)
Critics called out the school for allegedly promoting a student who spewed antisemitic vitriol, including some who demanded the institution's public funding be reviewed.
"Yet another graduation speech is hijacked with false antisemitic rhetoric, this time at El Camino Community College, CA… El Camino received approx. $150 million in federal, state, and local tax dollars for the 2022-2023 school year according to its budget," the non-profit group StopAntisemitism tweeted.
"Are these type of speeches reviewed before they are given? Would seem prudent to me to do it. That statement is a lie," another commented.
‘HORRIFYING’ CUNY LAW COMMENCEMENT SPEECH ‘BLATANT CALL FOR INSURRECTION,’ UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SAYS
Jana Abulaban received criticism for her speech criticizing the state of Israel. ( Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A third chimed in with, "You, #ElCaminoCollege are an embarrassment for not condemning and allowing a student to lie about the Jewish State of Israel and spew antisemitism."
Dr. Neil Orlowsky, Director of Education and Chair of Global Education with The Abraham Global Peace Initiative, called out the rhetoric as a "performative act of virtue signaling."
Others simply shared the Israeli flag emoji to stand in solidarity with the nation.
El Camino Community College did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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Abulaban later defended her remarks, telling The New York Post she "has no hate in [her] heart."
"I felt the need to really shed light on the atrocities that Israel as an apartheid state is committing… I’m not talking about Jewish people torturing and killing Palestinians. … It’s the Israeli government that is killing and torturing Palestinians," she added.
She also said she does not believe either her speech or Fatima Mousa Mohammed's was "trying to incite violence or hatred against a specific religion."
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