BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A human rights activist invited to speak at Towson University drew a divided reaction Monday over his stance on the conflict in the Middle East.

Caren Leven, executive director of the Zionist District of Baltimore, was on the campus of Towson University on Monday, walking in step with disappointment. She is disturbed by the university’s decision to allow – what she and her group believe to be – an unwanted speaker to attend a lecture for students.

“Why is it okay for a speaker to come in and talk about anti-Zionist or anti-Jewish rhetoric,” Leven said.

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The guest is Omar Shakir, Israel/Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, where he investigates human rights abuses in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Shakir is a well-known human rights activist to supporters, but someone who faces criticism that he demonizes Israel and defends terrorists to opponents, including Leven.

(‘Shakir) is absolutely pro-Palestinian, which is fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being pro-Palestinian. But when you link it to the false rhetoric of Israel… and you start throwing out words that are anti-Semitic, anti-Semitic. “Zionist, then it becomes a problem,” said Leven.

Moments after learning of Shakir’s invitation to speak, Leven and her group — at least 20,000 members strong — blasted university officials with an email asking them to rescind the invitation to Shakir. But to no avail.

Shakir arrived at the university’s Union Theater on Monday, where students, some of them there for extra credit, lined up to hear him speak.

He was the guest of Kimberly Katz, Ph.D., professor of history at the university.

“I think naming and calling people anti-Semitic is a pretty lazy way of not engaging in an intellectual argument. If you have an intellectual argument, they could come and sit down and ask questions and have them answered. Katz said.

University President Mark Ginsberg also weighed in on Shakir’s invitation and Leven’s opposition.

“I’m sorry if I feel that way, but I think people have a right to their opinion, whether we agree with it or not. We’re a public university, this is a public place, and that’s important.” Ginsberg said. “I myself am of the Jewish faith and of course I stand against anti-Semitism, it is abhorrent. We certainly don’t condone hate speech and the kinds of hateful things that are being said.”

Still for Leven, the voice of the opposition.

“It’s like having a speaker come in and speak against the African-American community or speak against the Asian community or the LGBTQ community,” Leven said.

University police were present at the event, with no disturbance reported.