The Undergraduate Students Association Council at the University of California, Los Angeles condemned a campus event featuring former Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov, criticizing university leadership for sponsoring what it described as a one-sided narrative. The April 14 event, organized by Hillel and co-sponsored by the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, highlighted Shem Tov’s 505 days in captivity after being kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 attack in Israel.

In a letter, the student council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and objected to what it called the selective platforming of narratives that ignore Palestinian suffering. The council expressed solidarity with Palestinian students and argued that sponsoring the event marginalized Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim members of the campus community.

Supporters of the event strongly rejected the condemnation. Student organizer Talia Davood called the move disheartening, particularly as it coincided with Holocaust Remembrance Day, and said dismissing Shem Tov’s testimony minimized Jewish trauma. Shem Tov said attempts to silence his story reflected a broader unwillingness to engage with challenging perspectives.

University officials defended the event as a reflection of resilience and respect for human rights and said they would review how the council’s letter was issued. The controversy comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the university’s handling of antisemitism allegations and prior legal settlements related to campus protests.