Pro-‘Israel’ group targets US nurse over Palestine water bottle sticker

• StopAntisemitism, an online advocacy group, publicly targeted a nurse at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan ER over a water bottle sticker reading “Bombing kids is not self-defense.”
• A second nurse was included in the post for wearing a keffiyeh-patterned scrunchie.
• Neither nurse is accused of mistreating patients or discriminating against anyone.

 A pro-‘Israel’ pressure group has criticized a nurse at UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center over a keffiyeh scrunchie and a water bottle bearing a pro-Palestinian sticker.

The group StopAntisemtism described the sticker, which reads “Bombing kids is not self-defense”, as “Palestinian propaganda” and questioned the presence of political messaging in a space where patients receive medical care.

The group does not present evidence that the items affected patient care.

Online backlash

The group's criticism prompted backlash online, with commenters questioning the characterization of a message opposing the bombing of children as Palestinian propaganda.

Eye on Palestine, an account that shares updates on Palestine, wrote on X: “Has stating ‘bombing kids is not self-defense’ officially become antisemitism?”

Another commenter criticized what they viewed as the conflation of opposition to the killing of Palestinian children with hostility toward ‘Israel’, writing: “Their entire shtick is if you’re not with them murdering children, you’re against them because not wanting to murder children en masse is anti-Israel.”

The reactions reflect broader criticism of attempts to frame expressions of Palestinian solidarity as antisemitic. 

UCLA Ronald Reagan ER - a patient seeking care was shocked to see political messaging in the treatment area: a water bottle displaying Palestinian propaganda and a nurse wearing a keffiyeh scrunchie. Why is political advocacy allowed in a place where patients should be receiving care?

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 14, 2026