What is Betar, the group insists on deporting propalist students? | Israel-Palestine News on Conflict

Several pro-Israeli groups have come up with the pressure of the United States President Donald Trump to expel and deport students to participate in propalist protests in US campuses.

One of the most famous of these is Betar Us, a group that says he shares the names of propalist protesters with the Trump administration.

The Trump Administration detains a graduate of Palestinian University in Colombia and activist Mahmoud Halil and Indian PhD at Georgetown University, Badar Khan SuriAnd he tries to deport them.

Trump has promised to deport students who protested last year against Israel's war against Gaza and demanded US universities to be released from Israel companies.

So what is Bear, why is he insisting on the deportation of propalist protesters, what criticism she is facing and what are the other groups supporting Trump's moves against the campus protests?

What is Betar?

Betar Us is a branch of Betar, Zionist Youth Movement, founded in 1923 by Zeev Jabotinski, who promoted the idea of ​​strong Jewish militarism and territorial expansion. The group says there are branches around the world, including heads in the United States.

“Our movement has changed the course of the Jewish world. We are the fastest growing Zionist movement around the world with more than 35 heads, including across Europe, Latin America, Australia and the United States,” Daniel Levy, a Betar US spokesman, told Al Jazeera by email.

“We are strong, proud, aggressive and non -napological Zionist. We are not the nice, kind Jews, we are the strong proud Zionists,” says the group on our website.

Zionism is a nationalist and political ideology, descended from 19th century Europe, which calls for the creation of a Jewish state.

Betar Us works “on campus, in cities, in the media, in business communities and on the streets,” according to his website.

But the critics called the Persian Gulf between the bold intercession of the group of his views and the limited information about US leaders and Betar members available on his public platforms, including his website.

Jenin Yunes, civil liberties and a free -speech lawyer, said the secrecy was “unusual”.

“They claim to be strong and proud,” she said, “but their website does not tell them who their employees are. This is a little unusual for a non -profit purpose, which has received the status of tax exemption from New York.”

“This suggests that they are trying to protect themselves from accountability,” Yunes said.

However, Betar has rejected the suggestions that he has something to hide. “Betar in the US is 501C3 for non -profit and in full compliance with all rules and regulations and submission,” Levy told Al Jazeera.

Who is targeting us on betar?

Since the campus protests broke out last year, Betar Us is Doxxed Pro-Palestinian Students. “We have provided his name to the government! And many others,” Betar published in January, citing Khalil.

In the same X threadThe group posted a video with Halil, which interviews and accused him of saying that “the Zionists do not deserve to live while he is on a visa.” But in the video shared by Betar Us, Halil doesn't say that.

Two days after Khalil's arrest, Betar posted us a message At the X, in which they openly declared their intention to expel the propalist students. In the widely shared publication, the group said: “We told you we are working on deportations and will continue to do it. Expect naturalized citizens to start gathering within the month.”

In Al Jazeera's statement, Betar's tax confirmed that “we have provided hundreds of Trump administration names to visas and naturalized owners and naturalized by the Middle East and foreigners,” for which he claims – without suggesting evidence – “support US certain terrorist organizations.”

“Those who come to the United States on visas or as naturalized citizens and promote hatred and violence will be deported,” Levy said.

The group also insists that those to whom they are heading to their lists are anti -Semitic. However, many civil rights organizations in recent months have expressed fears that pro-Israeli groups and their supporters have been criticized by Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism, which say it hinders the freedom of speech in the US and other countries.

“Betar US acts as a non-profit organization here in the US,” Ayub, CEO of the US-Arab anti-discrimination committee (ADC), said, told Al Jazeera. “But they are concerned with aggressive forms of harassment, passing after the rights of the first amendment (which provide free speech).”

Ayub called us a “troubled formation that causes a lot of concern.”

What did Batar Gaza tell us?

The group openly called for the blood bath in the besieged and bombed strip of Gaza, where Israel resumed its devastating war. In an already deleted post, Betar US replied to a list of names, including hundreds of Palestinian babies killed in an enclave, saying, “Not enough. We demand blood in Gaza!”

Betar is 501 (C) (3) for non-profit purpose, which takes tax donations while opening openly on the flag of Cahanism-Jewish terrorist movement-and encourages violence outside mosques and protests.

The katch party, marked with a US terrorist group in 2004, was only blinded to … pic.twitter.com/t5xr0dhqie

– PVT (@propvstruth) March 11, 2025

On Tuesday, Israel began an advantage in gas after a breakup in negotiations for the second stage of fire termination, killing over 400 people, including 174 children and women. Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023. The brutal Israeli response came after Hamas made an attack in Israel, killing 1139 people and taking about 250 captives, dozens of which remain in gas.

Betar's social media accounts have repeatedly published reports calling for violence and expulsion of Palestinians from their land. In one PostThe group said “firmly supports the Palestinian Removal Plan from Gaza.”

Yunes, the civil liberties lawyer, recalled that in January, Betar, the United States said in an X publication that they would violate a Wind Rajab vigil, a six -year -old girl who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza last year.

Betar Us is referred to as an “extremist group” by the Liga League (ADL), the Jewish advocacy group created more than a century ago to combat anti -Semitism.

However, Levi said in his statement to Al Jazeera that the group was a “mainstream” Zionist organization and is “the greater part of the Zionist and Israeli public.”

Levi rejected Betar's ADL label as an “extremist”. ADL, he said, was “radical, left, awakened” organization. “Anyone who calls Bether extremists calls Zionism extremism,” he said.

Does this support us plans to deport Trump?

It is completely said.

“Those who come to the United States on visas or as naturalized citizens are not allowed to come, participate in Hamas's events or support terrorist organizations,” Levy said. “We support the Trump administration policy.”

However, the employees of the Trump administration are yet to publicly announce any evidence connecting those who have been detained – including Halil – with any support for Hamas or other organizations listed as “terrorist” groups in the United States.

Halil, who was placed in a detention facility in Louisiana, said on Tuesday that he was a “political prisoner” in his first comments after his arrest by the Ministry of Homeland Security Ministry on March 8. “My arrest was a direct consequence of exercising my right to freedom of expression, as I advocated for a free Palestinian and the end of the genocide in Gaza, which was descending in full force on Monday, the arrest of a genocide in the freedom of the speech, as I stood up for a free palestinian and end of the Genocide. Genocide in the right to freedom of expression as I stood for free Palestinian and termination of the genocide in Gaza, which descended in full force on Monday and arrest wroteS

On March 7, before his arrest, Khalil wrote an email to Catherine Armstrong, temporarily acting President of Colombian University, asking her to “protect international students from doxing and from deportation”, citing threats from Betar.

Yunes, the free speech lawyer, said the arrest “talks about pure madness and terror of the present moment”, especially if the “President of the United States” accepts Betar's advice for whom to deport – something that has not yet been confirmed.

In the meantime, Betar wants the Trump administration to do even more.

“While we thank the Trump administration, we are calling many more deportations and faster,” Levi, Betar's spokesman, said.

Are there any other groups supporting Trump's repression?

Yes, but to different extensions.

• The ADL group called the campus protests as anti-Semitic and supported Trump's executive orders to combat anti-Semitism in campuses. However, he does not publicly support the mass deportation campaigns.
• Mothers against the anti-Semitism of the College (MACA)-the group claims to fight the alleged anti-Semitism in colleges and welcomes Trump's executive orders. He supports the deportation of Khalil and other propalist activists, which he describes as Hamas supporters.
• Canary Mission is an online database that “documented persons and organizations that encourage hatred to the United States, Israel and Jews in North America's campuses at and outside.” He publishes personal information about people and institutions, which he considers anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic. He welcomed Khalil's arrest and called for more students and teachers to arrest.

Are Trump's planned deportations legal?

The legality of Trump's deportation threats remains very controversial.

According to AYUB from ADC, Trump's deportation orders are technically applicable. The administration has the authority to cancel the visas of foreign students under certain conditions – namely whether a person deals with fraud or is considered a threat to national security, experts say.

Yunes, however, claims that the first amendment to the US Constitution “does not distinguish a statement based on immigration status” and that these deportations are “illegal”.

Khalil's lawyers have addressed the courts to blocked his deportation.

The broader civil rights groups are worried about what they perceive as a repression of freedom of expression, which is protected according to the first amendment.

Ayub said universities are responsible to protect students.

“Universities must be the right of all students to exercise their rights for the first amendment to freedom of expression. They cannot participate in violating students or disseminate information about them,” Ayub said.

He warned that this situation creates a “freezing effect” in which students are afraid to talk too much, affecting not only Palestinian activists but all other activists.

Osama Abuirshad, CEO of American Muslims for Palestine, sounded similar concerns, saying that universities were “fully capitulated to pressure from large donors and the Trump administration”.

“These are some of the most difficult times to be a conscience and global citizen student,” he told Al Jazeera.

Yunes, the free speech lawyer, said that Trump's executive orders are in fact and groups such as Betar US, aimed at students, foreign citizens, especially, should seek legal council before joining the priority.

“Unfortunately, the most secure thing is to remain silent now,” she said.