The Reason Why Pro-Hamas Protesters Target Liberals, and Why They Concentrate on Distinctively Liberal Cities and Universities

A common assertion regarding the proliferation of protests in response to the recent Israeli-Hamas conflict is that it is occurring almost exclusively on college campuses and in cities with liberal reputations. This has led some to believe that the protests are directed at the Democratic Party, as they are primarily occurring in cities that are known to be liberal strongholds and are meant to disrupt the Democratic National Convention.

However, this theory fails to consider that these protests are also targeting the jurisdictions with the most supportive constituents of Israel and critics of Islamic radicalism. In fact, these protests are more likely to occur in cities with more liberal ideologies because they are more likely to allow for such demonstrations, and the actual demographics of these areas mean that there are simply more progressives present to protest.

A more accurate evaluation of the situation is that the protests, regardless of their location, are not a response to the Israeli-Hamas conflict but are instead a result of an attempt to capitalize on a moment of upheaval to advance their own, more radical agendas. This attempt is not limited to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and can be seen as part of a larger trend of radical elements within movements attempting to capitalize on moments of upheaval to advance their agendas by eliminating less radical elements within the movement.

This can be seen in the Wall Street Journal's use of the Russian Revolution as an example, in which the Bolsheviks, who favored armed violence, turned against the Mensheviks, who favored legal methods and trade unions. This dynamic is playable out in the current situation as the more radical elements within the progressive movement are using the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a veil behind which they can attempt to consolidate power by eliminating the more moderate elements within the Democratic Party, of which they aim to take control.

In this narrative, the Democratic Party, or more specifically, the progressive wing of the party is represented by the Mensheviks, and the radical left is represented by the Bolsheviks. This is evidenced by the fact that the protests are not aimed at Republicans or those who are critical of Islamic radicalism, but at other progressives who they see as too moderate.

The reality of the situation is that the majority of college students are not engaged in these protests or even concerned with the Israeli-Hamas conflict. According to an Axios survey of 1,250 American college students, when asked to rank issues based on importance, only 13% cited the conflict in the Middle East, with 40% citing health-care reform as the most important issue. This disparity suggests that the majority of students are unconcerned with the happenings in Gaza and are instead focused on more domestic issues.

This can be further evidenced by the fact that only 8% of students surveyed say that they participated in protests for either side of the conflict. Moreover, when asked about opinions on the war, 34% of students blame Hamas, 19% blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and 12% blame the Israeli people. This indicates that even among the minority of students concerned with the conflict, the majority do not support the efforts of Hamas.

In conclusion, the reason that pro-Hamas protesters are targeting liberals, and distinctively liberal cities and universities, is not because they view them as the primary supporters of Israel or critics of Islamic radicalism, but because they perceive them as the primary supporters of progressive ideals, whom they aim to overthrow in order to advance their own, more radical agendas. This is evidenced by the fact that these protests are not occurring in predominantly conservative cities or on conservative campuses, and the disparity in media coverage of these protests.