Does the Barnard College student who was one of hundreds arrested when the NYPD raided Columbia University to remove student protesters from campus believe that Israel has a right to exist? He refused to make a statement about it.
Marie Adele Grosso, 19, a sociology and human rights student, was arrested at Columbia University last month on charges of trespassing during an ongoing student movement demanding the school’s divestment from an Israeli-affiliated company, police sources said. He was arrested twice.
In an interview with Leading Britain’s Conversation host Ben Kentish on Thursday, Grosso repeatedly struggled to answer the direct question, “Do you think Israel has a right to exist?” did.
“I believe that Palestinians have equal rights. I believe that Palestinians have the right to return to their homeland. Since 75 years ago, Palestinians have been systematically forced from their homes. ” she began, before Kentish could repeat the question. video show.
After Ms Kentish said it sounded like she wasn’t answering the question, she replied: “I’m very sorry, but there’s a longer answer to this question,” and added: “It’s a more complex question, so I don’t have time to respond. “It will cost a lot of money,” he said.
“There is a difference between believing that Jews should or have a right to be in Palestine and believing that the state of Israel should be allowed to continue doing what they are doing. I believe that land is Palestine,” Grosso said.
Kentish asked her again if she believed there should be “the only Jewish state in the world.”
She argued that the existence of a Jewish state like Israel allows other countries to perpetuate anti-Semitism within their borders.
“I would like to note that there are Jewish Palestinians. We have this safe space where we can say, “We can continue to be bigoted” — and I don’t believe that a separatist state can work. ”
Kentish pointed out that the United States, Britain and other countries identify as Christian countries, but they also identify as Muslim countries.
“So you think there should be a Christian country and a Muslim country, but there shouldn’t be a sole Jewish country in the world?” he asked.
“No. There is a difference between a country with an overwhelming population and a country that calls itself a Jewish country,” she answered.
Mr. Grosso was first arrested on April 18, when the New York City Police Department cleared an encampment from Columbia University’s campus. told Time magazine The next day, he was allowed to return to campus for 15 minutes to retrieve his belongings, but was suspended.
She was banned from her student dormitory and her meal plans were canceled, but she told the outlet she was determined to continue her protest.
“The only moral thing to do is to do whatever we can,” she said.
The teenager was arrested Tuesday night after hundreds of police dramatically stormed the Morningside Heights campus and removed barricaded protesters from Hamilton Hall, leading to more than 100 arrests. He was arrested again, a police source told the Post.
She was charged with trespassing.
