McGill: Son of Hamas x Ysabella Hazan

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MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF x YSABELLA ELISHEVA HAZAN Mosab Hassan Yousef and I not only share similar names—Hassan/Hazan—but we find ourselves here in Montreal for the same reason: pan-Arab imperialism. Mosab’s journey is one of incredible courage. Growing up in Ramallah within the upper echelons of Palestinian society, he found himself in an Israeli prison at just 18 years old. As the ‘Son of Hamas,’ he broke free from the grip of extremism and radicalism, ultimately saving countless lives by preventing thousands of terrorist attacks. My family’s story is also shaped by this same struggle. They are among the 1 million Jews who were kicked out of Arab lands and forced to flee because of pan-Arab imperialism and antisemitism. Today, the same hateful ideology that uprooted my family is the one that fueled the cancellation of today’s in-person event. Suppressing voices like Mosab’s doesn’t silence the truth—it highlights the need for dialogue and courage even more. The health of a society is measured by its ability to cultivate and tolerate dialogue. The decision by McGill University to move the planned event with Mosab on McGill’s campus to an online platform, along with the cancellation of all other events until the end of the year, is a glaring example of administrative bias (given other speakers that have invited on campus this semester). This is also a critical lesson for us as a community: if we don’t take up space and fight for our rights, we lose them. Strongly worded emails are not enough. We need to show up. We cannot submit to the hateful mob that threatens us with violence and death threats. There is nothing we should fear more than the fear of not being able to speak up. During my conversation with Mosab, he mentioned that he doesn’t believe McGill’s decision is truly about security, and I’m inclined to believe him. McGill University’s decision to impose a blanket shutdown of all events is nothing more than a tactic to silence voices that challenge the narrative while avoiding accountability for catering to the Globalize the Intifada mob. Mosab has spoken at the UN and every major news outlet, as well as on university campuses across North America. Yet McGill claims there are too many security threats to allow an in-person event? Universities are meant to be bastions of free thought and open dialogue. Shutting down events like this undermines the very foundation of academic exchange. If McGill’s administration is truly committed to fostering dialogue, they would facilitate safe spaces for all voices to be heard. We demand transparency for why our voices are being systematically silenced under the guise of neutrality or safety. Students who support dialogue deserve the right to organize and—just like every other group on campus. This is not security. This is suppression. We will not stand by while our right to dialogue, debate, and expression is denied. Rise up and fight for your rights✊🏽—before you no longer have the chance to. Thank you to the organizers, the students and everyone who helped put this event together. A big thank you to Dr. Karine Toledano as well as Dr. Gerald Batist and Professor Henri Darmon It is important to note that this is not the first time violence has come at the cost of the potential opportunity to foster real dialogue to make a change in the land of Israel at McGill University. @RudyRochman and I came to the encampment to create conversations with the goal of positively impacting the reality on the ground in Israel the land we are from and we were removed because our identity enraged those who do not actually care about Palestinians. See more here : https://tnc.news/2024/05/23/jewish-advocate-removal-mcgill-encampment-proves/ ___ #Greenprince #Ysabella #ysabellahazan #Decolonizedjudean #montreal #Israel #hamas #sonofhamas #debate #interview #mosabhassanyousef #mcgill #mcgilluniversity #conflictresolution