Globalize the Intifada

Globalize the Intifada is a slogan that has been used for advocating for global activism in support of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation. The term intifada being derived from the Arabic word nafada meaning to "shake off", refers to Palestinian uprisings or resistance against Israeli control, and the call to "globalize" it suggests extending the spirit and actions of these uprisings beyond the regional context to a worldwide movement.

The slogans and related chants have been a subject of controversy and discussion regarding their impact and implications. The slogan has been criticized by some Jewish groups as inciting political violence.

Background
Antiwar protesters in the United States during April 2002 held signs with the slogan in the wake of the Second Intifada and the Iraq war, as a form of racial justice and to protest US involvement in the region.

The call to "globalize" the Intifada through protests and social media posts is seen by critics as an endorsement of past uprisings and a call for their expansion on a global scale.

Usage
The slogan "Globalize the Intifada" has been used as a chant in various anti-Zionist protests, along with variations such as "There is only one solution, intifada revolution" or "Intifada until victory". It has been used against the Israeli actions during the 2023 Hamas–Israel war. Some opinion writers argue protesters using the slogan were supporters of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

According to users of the slogan, the Palestinian intifada was chosen as a rallying cry for resistance against what they see as "colonial violence and oppression".

In October 2023, pro-Palestinian protestors chanted "globalize the intifada" near a library building where some Jewish students took refuge in what has been characterized by critics as an antisemitic incident. New York City Mayor Eric Adams responded to the incident, affirming that hate has no place in New York City and emphasizing the right to peaceful protest. The NYPD later released a statement that students were not barricaded within the library and that the protest had been pre-planned. Pro-Palestinian protesters had planned a march throughout the entire college ahead of time, argued the library had students of multiple backgrounds, and the march itself had Jewish students.

In November 2023, pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, which supported the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, made a post headlined "Globalize the Intifada" with a map of Israeli and American companies and transit hubs. The post was condemned by elected officials in New York City and by Jewish groups as "a dangerous and abhorrent incitement to violence and poses a direct threat to New York's Jewish communities."

In December 2023, the use of banners utilizing the slogan led to the arrest of nine in London under the Public Order Act. In May 2024, a similar slogan, "Intifada, Revolution!", was used by pro-Palestinian protesters in central London, prompting an investigation by the Met Police.

During a December 2023 congressional hearing with presidents of major universities, Elise Stefanik argued the use of the term was a call for genocide of Jewish people.

Accusations of antisemitism
Both the Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee interpret the slogan as endorsing acts of terrorism and indiscriminate violence against Israelis and Jews worldwide. According to The Sunday Telegraph, the phrase has been associated with incitement of violence against Jewish communities. Some Jewish writers including David Hazony have interpreted the use of the slogan not just as a challenge to Israel but as being a broader declaration of war against Jews, promoting antisemitism, and calling for violence instead of peace. Following the 2023 death of Jewish-American Paul Kessler after a fatal altercation during duel pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests, Yair Lapid criticized the slogan and argued the protests were inherently hateful of Jewish peoples.

Others argue that calls for intifada are not inherently violent, arguing that the term "Intifada" does not translate into genocide, can be more correctly translated into "uprising". According to the Forward, though many Jews consider the term to be violent, Palestinians associate "Intifada" with the First Intifada, which was largely non-violent. Some argue the target of Intifada is the Israeli occupation with the goal of Palestinian independence.