“I am a white woman of significant privilege and wealth,” she wrote.
By Shula Rosen
Philadelphia teacher and anti-Israel activist Hannah Gann has admitted falsely claiming Palestinian and Tunisian heritage for years after fellow activists confronted her about her background, prompting comparisons to former NAACP president Rachel Dolezal.
“I lied about my identity and have been lying for years. I have no Palestinian or Tunisian heritage,” Gann wrote in an Instagram apology.
Gann also acknowledged that she had misrepresented her racial identity.
“I am a white woman of significant privilege and wealth. Anyone who supported me was manipulated and should not be judged as a result of their support for me,” she wrote.
Members of the Racial Justice Organizing Committee and Philly Educators for Palestine confronted Gann about her background Thursday, the groups told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Members met with Hannah and questioned her about her background on Thursday, and after an hour of discussion, Hannah finally admitted she lied,” they said.
The organizations said they asked Gann to publicly acknowledge that she was “a white woman of Jewish heritage and an Israeli settler family,” adding that members were “stunned, saddened and angered by this betrayal.”
Gann said the deception extended beyond the activist groups and included people close to her. She also concealed her pro-Palestinian activism from her family while maintaining the false identity.
“I hid the truth or outright lied about my background to everyone in my life,” she said, adding that she had “allowed half-truths and obfuscations to grow into outright lies” because she “genuinely wanted to commit to the work I was doing.”
A video from 2025 shows Gann wearing a keffiyeh and speaking with an accent different from the one she used in her apology video.
Following the disclosure, Gann was dubbed the “Palestinian Rachel Dolezal,” a reference to the former NAACP president who presented herself as a Black woman despite being white.
Gann’s admission confirmed that her longstanding public claims of Palestinian and Tunisian ancestry were false and that she had concealed her actual background while participating in pro-Palestinian activism in Philadelphia.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!