Jon Atkins
Overview
Jon Atkins has supported violent protesters and attended an IfNotNow (INN) event co-led by Taher Herzallah of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) in 2018.As of June 2019, Atkins’ LinkedIn page said he was a “Political Data Scientist” at Clarity Campaign Labs in Washington, D.C. His LinkedIn page said he graduated from Tufts University (Tufts) in 2016, with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Economics.
Atkins’ LinkedIn page also said he was a fellow at Solidarity of Nations - Achvat Amim in Jerusalem from February to July 2017; that reportedly lost its Masa funding after participants reportedly clashed with Israeli security personnel.
Supporting Violent Protesters
Atkins indicated on Facebook that he “went” to an INN DC event on May 14, 2018, to mourn [01:09:33] the Palestinians killed during the Great March of Return protests on Israel’s border with Gaza.In May 2018, terror group Hamas instigated violent riots on the Israeli-Gaza border. Thousands of rioters attempted to breach Israel’s border fence, declaring their intention to harm Jews across the border under the pretext of “peaceful resistance.”
During the demonstration, INN protestors chanted [01:32:00] “We are horrified by Israel’s violent response to Palestinian non-violent protests.”
On May 16, 2018, a Hamas senior official, Salah al-Bardawil, stated that 50 out of 62 protesters killed during the May 14 Gaza border protest were Hamas operatives. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also claimed that three of its members were killed at the same protest.
The May 14, 2018, event that Atkins indicated he went to a protest against the U.S. government’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
INN’s comment on the Facebook photo described the training as gathering to “learn more about the history of Gaza, Palestinian non-violent resistance and how our community can take action to oppose the Israeli Military's recent actions.”
On April 20, 2018, Atkins posted a photo on Facebook of himself together with other anti-Israel activists in Israel, including Antwan Saca. Saca was the Director of Programs of the Holy Land Trust (HLT), which supports the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
From February to July 2017, Atkins was a Fellow at Solidarity of Nations - Achvat Amim.
Anti-Israel Activism
On May 20, 2018, Atkins appeared in an INN DC Facebook photo at an event one day earlier, co-led by Taher Herzallah, the Associate Director of Outreach & Grassroots Organizing from AMP. Atkins also indicated on Facebook that he “went” to the event.INN’s comment on the Facebook photo described the training as gathering to “learn more about the history of Gaza, Palestinian non-violent resistance and how our community can take action to oppose the Israeli Military's recent actions.”
On April 20, 2018, Atkins posted a photo on Facebook of himself together with other anti-Israel activists in Israel, including Antwan Saca. Saca was the Director of Programs of the Holy Land Trust (HLT), which supports the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
From February to July 2017, Atkins was a Fellow at Solidarity of Nations - Achvat Amim.
The Jewish Agency for Israel, through their Masa Israel Journey internship program, reportedly pulled funding to Achvat Amim in 2017 “after its participants were discovered spending time this summer at an anti-occupation protest camp in the West Bank” and for “clashing with security personnel.” Achvat Amim reportedly said these claims were misleading.
As of June 2019, Achvat Amim was not listed as a Masa internship or volunteer experience.
IfNotNow (INN)
IfNotNow (INN) is an anti-Israel organization founded in 2014, in response to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE) against Hamas.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to take no position on the BDS movement and that it is “open to any who seek to shift the American Jewish public away from the status quo that upholds the Occupation.” However, INN organizes with pro-BDS, anti-Israel organizations including American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/534770851/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jatkins23/
- Status:
- Professional
- University:
- Tufts
- Organizations:
- INN
- Related Profiles:
- Last Modified:
- 06/23/2025
Photos & Screenshots
16 images