School walkout in support of Palestine canceled amid backlash in South Jersey

VOORHEES TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) -- A planned high school walkout in support of Palestine has now been canceled amid backlash in one South Jersey community.

Students at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees Township had planned the event for Friday. The walkout was expected to last about 30 minutes during a lunch period, according to event organizers.

But Action News learned Wednesday that students agreed to cancel the event in favor of a unified peace march on May 20.

The planned walkout received pushback from parents and even elected officials like Camden County Commissioner Jeff Nash.

Nash was one of two commissioners to send a letter to the school district Tuesday, saying they were outraged that Friday's walkout was being permitted.

The letter read in part, "The student walkout is an intentional effort to create a hostile and isolating environment for Jewish students, the majority of whom support Israel as an integral part of their identity. Your administration's failure to recognize-and, instead, to actively promote-this hostility ignores the consequent danger it poses to all its students."

Yousef Bahnasi, a high school senior and one of the organizers of the event, some community members misunderstood what event organizers had intended.

"Ultimately, it's not antisemitic or hateful or inciting violence. We invite our Jewish friends and we invite everybody to come and participate," he said before the walkout was canceled.

Action News reached out to Eastern Regional High School several times for comment but we have not heard back.