Cornellians For Israel - CFI and CAMERA on Campus present a lecture by Kasim Hafeez, former Islamist now Zionist and human rights activist. 

ABOUT HAFEEZ:
Born and raised by Pakistani parents in a religious Muslim community in the United Kingdom, Kasim Hafeez was surrounded by Islamist and anti-Semitic propaganda. His own father considered Hitler a hero, and felt that his only failing was that he did not kill enough Jews. Hafeez grew up to believe that Israel is responsible for all the evils in the Middle East and that Jews are all usurpers and murderers. By his 18th birthday, the jihadist propaganda by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Osama Bin Laden successfully indoctrinated him into the extremist Islamic ideologies. He was able to freely publicize his beliefs along with other jihadists in rallies that took place in the center of London, including Nakba Day rallies where Jihadi speakers predicted Israel’s demise while Hezbollah flags fluttered all around him. Hafeez admitted in an interview with Joseph Puder of Front Page Mag, “I was the anti-Semitic, and anti-Israel activist.” on British university campuses.

Everything changed for Hafeez when he decided to read the Case for Israel by Alan Dershowitz. The former Islamist stated, “The book challenged my fundamental and false beliefs that fueled my anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel. This triggered my research which was an attempt to disprove what I had read." Hafeez decided to visit Israel to see the truth firsthand; he never expected to have the experience he had. When he returned from his mission, Hafeez said in a televised interview, “I was expecting to see an apartheid state but here I was seeing Muslims, Jews, and Christians living together, Muslims going to mosque...This is a side of Israel people don’t know...There is a real difference between what we see of Israel outside of Israel and what is actually happening."

Upon his return, Hafeez developed a strong support for Israel, which he says is “based on supporting a liberal democracy which is targeted by people all over the world unfairly." He strongly believes that it is his duty to stand for justice and support Israel, as the country provides equal rights and opportunities for all, regardless of religion and/or ethnicity. In his interview, Hafeez stated, “I see the wrong happening. I see the vilification of Israel. I’ve seen the real Israel. I have a responsibility to stand up for that." 

His newfound revelations regarding Israel and the Jews did not come without its consequences. Hafeez, a self-professed Muslim-Zionist, now experiences strained relations with much of his family due to his admiration for Israel and the Jewish peoplee. Hafeez remains determined to support and defend Israel. He does so by participacing in speaking tours and combating anti-Semitism and the anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses throughout the US and Britain. He also works to help prepare students and anyone who wants to stand up for Israel with the skills they’ll require. Regarding the “battle of the minds” on college campuses, Hafeez stated, “It is time to set red lines, and make sure that those who specialize in hatred will no longer be tolerated. We will no longer be silent or intimidated. We must always make Americans realize why Israel is so important to them, and why their silence today will be to their detriment tomorrow.”Hafeez’s intellectual honesty in his search for the truth resulted in a life transformation, as he lost much of his family and many of his friends who resent his commitment to the state of Israel. Hafeez currently lives in Canada and hopes to never return to Europe. Regardless of his location in the world, Hafeez says “I can guarantee one thing. The fight for the truth, for freedom, and for Israel will continue no matter where I am.”