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Brandeis University Ends Relationship With A Palestinian University

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Brandeis University in Boston decided to end its ties with a Palestinian university over "a failure by leadership" to condemn an on-campus demonstration in which marchers made what reportedly looked like Nazi Salutes "and carried banners depicting suicide bombers as martyrs," Fox News reported.

Frederick Lawrence, president of Brandeis University - a nonsectarian university founded by the American Jewish Community - ended the school's relationship with Al-Quds University in Jerusalem on Monday because of its failure to issue an "unequivocal condemnation" for participants of a Nov. 5 demonstration.

According to a statement from Brandeis University, the rally the Al-Quds campus included masked demonstrators "wearing black military gear, armed with fake automatic weapons, and who marched while waving flags and raising the traditional Nazi salute."  

In a statement released Wednesday, Al-Quds urged Brandeis University to reconsider its decision to end the relationship between the two universities.

The Palestinian university said it launched an investigation after the rally and "informed all political factions on campus not to hold such activities," the Washington Post reported.

The university said the campus' political wing of Islamic Jihad responsible for the rally has a small number of students who violated their agreements with the university.

The faction's activities are unacceptable and contrary to the university's "liberal policy and the human values we are trying to promote," Al-Quds officials said in a statement.

Al-Quds officials said in a statement the partnership between the universities has shielded students from extremist influences.

"Our arms are always open for peace," it said. "This has been and will always be our stance, despite the repeated attacks by the Israeli military on our campus and students."

In a news release, Brandeis University said it would "re-evaluate the relationship as future events may warrant."

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