Wounded IDF Soldiers Confront Anti-Israel Protesters at UC Campus
Wounded Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, on a 10-day advocacy tour of U.S. campuses, faced a hostile demonstration during their first event at the University of California. The tour, organized by the "B'Lev Echad" (In One Heart) organization in cooperation with Chabad on Campus, aimed to share the testimonies of soldiers injured during the recent conflict.
The event featured IDF soldiers Eliyahu Green and Ariel Sa'at, who were met by pro-Palestinian protesters entering the auditorium and shouting, disrupting the start of the presentation. Campus police intervened, removed the protesters, and stated they would not be allowed to stop the event. The demonstrators remained outside but re-entered during the Q&A session, holding signs.
Following the event, Sa'at and Green stated their commitment to continuing their tour, despite the disruption. "We came all the way from Israel to the United States to talk to our brothers and sisters and strengthen them," they said. "We received a warm welcome from our Jewish student friends, and a 'warm welcome' from terror-supporting organizations on campus. It didn't really affect us. We managed to give an amazing lecture. We are going to continue doing this on the rest of our campus tours. Am Yisrael Chai (The people of Israel lives)."
Ariel Sa'at, 21, a soldier in the Givati Brigade, fought in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7th. He continued fighting after his comrades were severely wounded, eliminating terrorists and aiding in their rescue. He is now undergoing art therapy for complex post-traumatic stress. Eliyahu Green, 28, a former officer in the Duvdevan Unit and a medical student, volunteered for reserve duty. He was severely wounded by shrapnel to his legs and head from an explosive drone near his team during the Gaza ground operation. Despite permanent hearing loss and ongoing injury management, he has returned to his medical studies.
Organizers from "B'Lev Echad" emphasized the importance of the soldiers' testimonies and vowed that protests would not silence them. Local Chabad representatives and students also highlighted the value of hearing directly from the soldiers about their experiences and resilience.
