Sen. Hawley calls out Palestinian student group for anti-Israel messages on campus building

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Democrat blocks Hawley's resolution to condemn anti-semitism on college campuses

A Democrat senator blocked a resolution condemning anti-Semitic speech on college campuses led by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., arguing it would smear all students involved in protests.

Sen. Josh Hawley called out George Washington University for allowing Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to project anti-Israel messaging on one of its campus buildings before the police shut them down Tuesday night.

"Glory to our martyrs," "Divestment from Zionist genocide now," and "Free Palestine from the River to the Sea," were projected in large letters on the Gelman Library building in Washington, D.C 

Hawley, who introduced a Senate resolution last week to condemn antisemitism on college campuses last week, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Yet Senate Democrats BLOCKED my resolution last week condemning this filth."

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U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., asks questions at a committee hearing on data security at Twitter.   (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

"Will GW leadership condemn this?" Hawley asked. 

Stop Antisemitism, a nonprofit organization, also condemned the students in a post to X Tuesday night. 

"George Washington University - students are projecting horrifying messages onto a school library building glorifying Hamas terrorists that beheaded babies, raped teenage girls, and murdered 1400+ people. We call on President @PresidentofGW to immediately expel those involved."

The resolution, for which Hawley sought unanimous consent, comes as pro-Palestinian protests have erupted on college campuses after the deadly surprise attack on Israel carried out by Hamas terrorists that killed and wounded thousands in Israel Oct. 7.

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George Washington University students hold a vigil for Palestinian "martyrs."  (Jon Michael Raasch/Fox News Digital)

"Students at Ohio State praised the heroic resistance in Gaza," Hawley said on the floor. "Heroic — it's now heroic — to massacre Jews in cold blood. It's now heroic to try and carry out a genocide against Jewish people."

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., blocked the unanimous consent resolution, noting most of the protests were not violent, "as repugnant as some of them were in terms of the words." 

He said the resolution would "smear all of the students who engage in these protests," potentially violating First Amendment rights.

"I would stand with my colleagues in standing up to hateful rhetoric, condemning antisemitism," Van Hollen said. "But what this resolution does is not that."

Hawley called it a "failure of moral nerve." 

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George Washington University students chant "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free." (Jon Michael Raasch/ Fox News Digital)

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Earlier in October, Hawley sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate potential financial ties between anti-Israel student groups on college campuses and the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Students for Justice in Palestine previously told Fox News Digital in a statement: "National Students for Justice in Palestine has zero financial or political ties to Hamas or any other institution within Palestine."

"In addition, SJP chapters do not have a financial relationship with or receive funding from National SJP. These allegations are completely unfounded and are only used to further delegitimize student voices and infringe upon Palestinian-Americans' First Amendment rights," a spokesperson said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to GWU and SJP for comment.