Title: Nahla Al-Arian: A Grandmother’s Visit to Columbia University and the Smear Campaign That Followed
Nahla Al-Arian, a Palestinian American grandmother, has been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Living in Tampa Bay, Florida, she has received distressing updates about the deaths of her relatives through WhatsApp messages. Recently, the news of over 200 deaths reached her, intensifying her pain and sorrow. Seeking solace and hoping to find support, Nahla visited Columbia University in New York City, accompanied by her journalist daughters Laila and Lama.
The Al-Arian family has a strong connection to Gaza, as Nahla’s father’s family hails from there. The visit to Columbia was an opportunity for Nahla to witness the dedication and empathy of the students protesting against the war in Gaza. She was moved by their intelligence, organization, and genuine concern for the Palestinian people they had never met. Nahla’s presence at Columbia was captured in a photo shared by her husband on Twitter, expressing solidarity with the students.
However, this single tweet would soon thrust Nahla Al-Arian into a spurious narrative propagated by New York City Mayor Eric Adams and major media outlets. They portrayed her as an “outside agitator” who was training the Columbia students. The mayor cited Nahla’s presence as the tipping point for authorizing a military-style raid on the campus. This smear campaign aimed to delegitimize the students’ protest and divert attention from the suffering in Gaza.
To understand the context surrounding Nahla Al-Arian’s visit to Columbia, it is essential to delve into her husband’s case. Sami Al-Arian, a professor at the University of South Florida, was arrested in 2003 on charges related to supporting the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a designated terrorist organization. However, the prosecution failed to provide evidence connecting him to any acts of violence. The case against Sami Al-Arian was widely seen as a political attack on Muslims in the U.S. during the Bush administration’s “war on terror.”
After a lengthy trial, Sami Al-Arian agreed to a plea deal in 2006, pleading guilty to one count of providing nonviolent support to individuals allegedly affiliated with the PIJ. This plea deal indicated that the U.S. government knew he was not a terrorist threat. However, Al-Arian faced years of house arrest and prosecutorial harassment before being deported from the United States.
The NYPD and city officials began leaking information about Nahla Al-Arian’s presence at Columbia, falsely portraying her as the wife of a convicted terrorist. Mayor Eric Adams repeatedly mentioned her visit as a crucial factor in his decision to authorize the raid on the campus. However, it was later acknowledged that Nahla was not present during the raids. The smear campaign against her spread through right-wing media and social media platforms, further distorting the truth.
For Nahla and the Al-Arian family, the smear campaign was not surprising. They have endured over 20 years of surveillance, trials, and displacement due to their Palestinian heritage. Despite their own suffering, they emphasize that it pales in comparison to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. Nahla feels anger and frustration at being used to harm the students and distract from the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
In conclusion, Nahla Al-Arian’s visit to Columbia University was an attempt to find solace and support amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, she became a victim of a smear campaign orchestrated by New York City officials and amplified by media outlets. This narrative aimed to undermine the legitimacy of the students’ protest and divert attention from the atrocities in Gaza. The Al-Arian family’s story highlights the broader challenges faced by Palestinians and Muslims in the United States.
