UC Berkeley Law Hosts Convicted Terrorist on ‘Palestinian Political Prisoners Day’

UC Berkeley allowed a convicted Palestinian car bomber, released in the October 7, 2023, Hamas hostage deal, to address students via video from a Berkeley Law School classroom on Monday. The event, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) groups, drew applause from a full room of attendees.

Israa Jaabis, who was convicted of an attempted car bombing in Jerusalem in 2015, spoke by video call to students at Berkeley Law school classroom 170 during a Palestinian Political Prisoners Day event organized by Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine and UC Berkeley… pic.twitter.com/ZLuuijSllh

— Michael Starr (@StarrJpost) April 23, 2026

Israa Jaabis was convicted in Israel for a 2015 attempted car bombing near Jerusalem. Israeli authorities say she detonated a gas canister rigged in her vehicle at a checkpoint, severely injuring herself and an Israeli police officer. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison and freed in November 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange following the Hamas massacre that killed 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages.

A video from UC Berkeley SJP shows Jaabis speaking during a “Palestinian Political Prisoners Day” teach-in in Berkeley Law classroom 170. Students clapped as the released terrorist addressed them. The event was co-organized by Berkeley Law SJP and UC Berkeley SJP.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon reacted sharply, quoting a Jerusalem Post report on X with a simple, incredulous “What.”

What https://t.co/oW1sftUQ0v

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) April 23, 2026

This latest incident fits a well-documented pattern of antisemitism at UC Berkeley, as extensively reported by this outlet. 

In March 2026, the Brandeis Center secured a major victory when UC Berkeley agreed to pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit over the “longstanding, unchecked spread of anti-Semitism” on campus and in its law school. 

The suit highlighted discriminatory bylaws in student groups that barred pro-Israel speakers. Despite the settlement, the Brandeis Center later raised concerns about the law school dean undermining the agreement.

In March 2025, the Globe reported how UC Berkeley had “devolved into a cesspool of anti-Semitism,” with police inaction during assaults on Jewish students at pro-Hamas rallies organized by groups like Bears for Palestine and SJP. A federal discrimination complaint followed repeated harassment and physical blocking.

The university faced earlier lawsuits, including one by Jewish groups in November 2023 for inaction amid rising discrimination, congressional scrutiny over encampments, and a separate settlement with an Israeli professor denied rehire allegedly due to her identity.

This “systemic racism” mirrors broader failures across the University of California system. 

A 153-page report issued by the AMCHA Initiative examined the Los Angeles, Berkeley and Santa Cruz campuses for academic years from 2023 to 2025.

It found that, “In the months following October 7, 2023, as at many campuses nationwide, UC Berkeley experienced a sharp escalation in incidents targeting Jewish members of the campus community, including harassment, intimidation, exclusion, vandalism, and other forms of coercive conduct. Between July 2021 and June 2023, 16 such incidents were documented in AMCHA Initiative’s database; between July 2023 and June 2025, that number jumped to 101 — a 520% increase. During the same period, incidents involving rhetoric glorifying violence or calling for the elimination of Israel rose from 4 to 89, a 2,125% increase. In both categories, over 40% of the incidents involved faculty in some way.”

At UC Berkeley between 2023 and 2025, 171 professors endorsed boycotting Israel. This included department chairs and heads of institutes. Additionally, 34 academic units, sponsored or co-sponsored events where speakers called Zionism racism, accused Israel of genocide and cast terrorism as justified “resistance.”

The February 2026 report also revealed that a Berkeley faculty group created a “toolkit” showing professors how to sneak anti-Israel content into the curriculum.

That same month, the DOJ filed an 81-page lawsuit against UCLA alleging a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli employees, with administrators turning a blind eye to antisemitic acts. Federal grants were suspended, and Title VI probes continue under the Trump administration.

AAG Dhillon’s Civil Rights Division has pursued aggressive enforcement of Title VI protections nationwide against campus antisemitism.

California taxpayers pour billions into the UC system annually. Yet Jewish students report ongoing hostility while events platforming convicted terrorists proceed with administrative tolerance and alleged support. Governor Gavin Newsom and the UC Regents have offered limited responses as federal funding risks mount and lawsuits accumulate.

The California Globe has contacted the university regarding the event’s planning, university communications, and has requested any audio/ visual or transcript of the presentation. We will continue monitoring developments and provide related updates.