Over 500 academics and writers criticize the University of Pennsylvania for tying anti-Israel activism to antisemitism, alleging an atmosphere of intimidation and Islamophobia against Arabs, Palestinians, and Muslims.
By Dion J. Pierre, Algemeiner
Over 500 academics and writers have signed a petition lambasting the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) for suggesting that anti-Israel activism on campus amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has been linked to antisemitism or harassment of Jewish students, accusing the school of fostering an “atmosphere of intimidation and Islamophobia” against Arabs, Palestinians, and Muslims.
The petition came as Penn launched a new task force to combat antisemitism amid recent incidents of antisemitic vandalism and anti-Israel protests that descended into demagoguery and intimidation of Jewish students.
“The university has failed to condemn — publicly, clearly, and consistently — the numerous episodes of harassment and intimidation directed specifically against Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian students and faculty,” the academics wrote in an open letter, citing a previous missive issued by the Penn branch of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). The AAUP letter did not mention any specific instances in which an Arab or Muslim faculty member or student was harmed, but it argued in part that the university’s recent efforts to temper extremist rhetoric in the classroom and around campus led to harassment and discrimination.
“There should be no place for injustice, racism, and hate, including anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian hate, at Penn,” the more recent statement read, arguing that Penn faculty members, students, and staff “are being falsely defamed, smeared, and maligned.”
“The university administration has repeatedly made public statements suggesting that the presence and activities of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voices on the Penn campus are linked to antisemitism or harassment of Jewish students and faculty,” the petition added. “To be clear: we unequivocally oppose antisemitism, and we also stress — as many scholars of Jewish history and the Holocaust have — that supporting Palestinians under Israeli military occupation, siege, and attack and calling for justice and freedom is not antisemitism.”
The petition came a few days after Penn unveiled new details about its nascent antisemitism task force, which was formed in response to an explosion of antisemitic incidents on campus this year.
“Penn’s campus cannot and will not be comfortable or uncontested space for antisemitism,” Penn president Elizabeth Magill said in a statement while announcing the new committee’s membership. “The task force is critical to Penn’s commitment to counter this threat … I believe Penn can become a higher education leader in the fight against antisemitism, but it will take all of us working together to make a serious change.”
The task force — which is comprised of faculty, students, staff, alumni, and members of Penn’s Board of Trustees — is chaired by Mark Wolff, dean of the School of Dental Medicine.
Penn has been embroiled in controversy this academic year stemming from concerns over antisemitism. Last month, a pro-Palestinian protest on campus devolved into intimidation of Jewish students, as speakers berated pro-Israel counter-protesters in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist onslaught against Israel.
“The Israeli Jew has bastardized Judaism! Bastardized it! Trampled on it! How could you let this genocidal regime crap all over your God and your religion like this?” one speaker said at the protest, according to footage seen by The Algemeiner. “How can you, as a people who have seen the same amount of oppression in the past, stand by the same genocidal tactics, and lies, and methods that they use on our people? How could you stand for that? Look at you — you’re not even looking at this direction. You’re scared. You’re scared of being wrong.”
Addressing Jewish students who were standing nearby holding a counter-protest, the speaker continued. “Israelis! Hello, Israelis! Look at me! If I asked you to give me one justification, it would be a lie, misinformed, or consumed in post 9/11 dogma. Ask yourself, Israelis: Do you want to continue living in this false narrative, this fairy tale, or do you want to actually talk to the people? That [Israeli] flag has murdered.”
He concluded: “I hope you sh—t when you go on your bed tonight. I hope your dreams are filled with the horrors of dead Palestinian babies, burned Palestinian children, dead Palestinian women, a hundred square miles, leveled. I hope this scorches your brain. I hope you are terrified of this, because you should be.”
Professor Eve Troutt Powell, who teaches history of the modern Middle East at the university, accused Israel of not learning “the lessons of the Holocaust” shouting at the demonstration, “That was the lesson! Never again! This now is never again!”
Professor Huda Fakhreddine, who teaches Arabic literature, added, “Israel is the epitome of antisemitism … it desecrates the memory of the Holocaust victims. It humiliates every Jewish person.”
Days later, members of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), a traditionally Jewish fraternity, discovered graffiti saying “The Jews R Nazis” on the door of a property next to their house. The campus’ Division of Public Safety was investigating the vandalism as a potential hate crime.
Before the war in Gaza, the university came under fire in September for refusing to cancel or move a “Palestine Writes Literature Festival” held on campus. The event, which caused outrage and heightened tensions across campus, featured several activists who promoted conspiracies about Jewish power and called for violence against Israel.
One day before “Palestine Writes” took place, an unidentified male walked into the university’s Hillel building behind a staffer and shouted “F—k the Jews” and “Jesus Christ is king!” before overturning tables, podium stands, and chairs, according to students and school officials who spoke with The Algemeiner.
Days earlier, just before the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah, a swastika was graffitied in the basement of the university’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design.
Major donors the school have threatened to pull funding from the school unless it does more to fight antisemitism, denouncing Magill for refusing to denounce the anti-Zionist festival.
Magill recently apologized and expressed regret for not promptly condemning the “Palestine Writes” event.