Rutgers University hosted “Teach-in on Gaza”; faculty use their positions to promote anti-Israel sentiments

On October 16, 2023, shortly after the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel, Rutgers Law School’s Center for Security, Race and Rights hosted an “Online Teach-In on Gaza” that explicitly attacked Israel. Rutgers University has a page for the Center for Security, Race and Rights explaining that this group exists to “address the underlying structural and systemic causes of Islamophobia and xenophobia against people of Arab, African, and South Asian descent.”

Defending Education submitted a public records request to the university requesting emails from university staff promoting anti-Israel sentiment. One email that the university provided was from law professor Sahar Aziz, who is recognized as a “Chancellor’s Social Justice Scholar.” The email was dated October 12, 2023, and promoted the teach-in. She stated:

Western media outlets, the U.S. government, and our own university administration in New Brunswick are addressing the war in Gaza exclusively through the perspective and experiences of Israelis, the Israeli government, and their supporters at the same time that Palestinian civilians are being bombed, murdered, starved of food and water, denied electricity, and trapped in Gaza by the Israeli government.

Another notable Rutgers professor from the emails Defending Education received is Noura Erakat. She is a professor of “Africana Studies” with “Critical Race Theory” listed as an area of specialization. The university describes her as a “human rights attorney.” In one email dated October 13, 2023, Yale University assistant professor Madiha Tahir invited Erakat to a teach-in at Yale. She offered a “$1,000 honorarium” to do it. Tahir stated: “There is a lot of interest among students and the communities at Yale to better understand the current situation and the occupation more generally.”

Another email dated October 12 from Sahar Aziz appeared to attack Rutgers University’s president. She stated: “The one-sided message from our President completely disregards Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza and makes clear that Palestinian lives (and by extension Muslim and Arab lives) are not valued at this university.” She then added: “In the deluge of pro-Israel analysis and anti Palestinian propaganda in Western media, there is dire need for education about the experiences and voices of Palestinians, The Center for Security, Race and Rights is available to provide a Teach In on Gaza to students, faculty, and staff at Rutgers University.”

Noura Erakat responded that “this is excellent.” She appeared to outright defend Hamas: “I am sharing this pedagogical project which incudes a 20-minute film, four teaching guides, and a bibliography of 110 entries on Gaza that we made in the aftermath of the 2014 offensive. It debunks the talking points about Hamas and rehabilitates the systematic warfare against Gaza within a settler colonial framework.”

On October 11, another professor from Rutgers University, Zahra Ali, emailed Noura Erakat asking her to give a talk for an “Iraq Twenty Years” event to commemorate “the 20 years since the invasion, the relationship between racism, imperialism and settler colonialism, having you talk about the situation in Gaza and in Palestine would be great.”

In an email about booking travel dated March 1, 2024, Noura Erakat stated: “On February 8th the White House issued National Security Memorandum (NSM) 20, requiring, amongst other things, a report to Congress from the Departments of State and Defense by May 8th that details, since January 2023, any use of U.S. provided weapons by a partner in conflict that violate IHL, international law, or that is not reflective of U.S. civilian harm mitigation best practices, as well as any actions by such a partner to prevent the delivery of U.S.-funded humanitarian assistance.”

As a result, she stated: “In that context, I am working with a task force of experts who are putting together a dossier that will be provided to the Departments of State and Defense a month ahead of the report deadline of such potential violations or actions by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank.”

Defending Education redacted travel information from the following document.

Defending Education received an email dated November 14, 2023, from University of Alabama professor Dylan Baun. His profile on the University of Alabama’s website has him labeled as a “Justice and Equity Studies Coordinator” and a history professor focused on the “Middle East and Islamic World.” In his email to Noura Erakat, he accused Israel of a “genocidal war” and discussed a “Palestine and the Global Sixties” conference.

He explained that the conference was postponed due to Erakat’s involvement. “We have decided to postpone the conference. To be brief, baseless, damaging, and concerning rumors about our conference, particularly as it relates to your participation, spread from the UAH community to the local community and eventually to the state level.”

Erakat responded: “More, as legal scholar, a scholar of race, and settler colonialism, my work reflects rigorous method and citational practice, which does not seem to be in question here but that is precisely the point – the objection is not to my scholarly rigor but rather seems to be an attack on my character.”

On November 13, 2023, a colonel of the U.S. Army sent Erakat an email where he stated that she has “enjoyed the fruits of Liberty in America” and was a “beneficiary of the Abraham L. Freedman fellowship- Freedman being a celebrated Jewish jurist.” He added that “hypocrisy has no bounds.” He then stated:

Perhaps if you resigned from Rutgers when this war ends, headed to Gaza to help the people to rebuild a society based on the rule of law that forsakes as alternative murdering innocent neighbors. And teach them also to elect leaders grounded in an ethical system- be it Muslim or Judeo-Christian- that honors the rule of law and individual rights. If you were to do that you would do more for the Palestinians in your lifetime than all of your posturing and angry posts to your fellow academics and TV commentators.

Erakat responded: “As an American, my primary target is my government, which has enabled Israel’s impunity and unfolding genocide with unequivocal military, financial, and diplomatic support.” She then added: “With all this work to be done and so much pain that meets the road here – we can use your help. Teach Americans to stop murdering innocents and to honor representative democracy. If you are at a loss where to start, I am happy to help point you in the right direction.”

Defending Education redacted the colonel’s name from the following document.

Defending Education additionally received an email dated December 17, 2023, from the Fulbright Association’s vice president of “Fulbrighters with Disabilities.” He stated that he is “on the DEI board for the Fulbright Association.” He appeared to attack the overall organization for supporting Israel:

There has been talk of having a series or panel in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. It would seem that I am the sole Jewish voice of reason and thus the only member willing to confront the Zionist narrative which is working hard to take hold of Fulbright. I am trying my best to guide this process to ensure that academic integrity and our commitment to international understanding are not sacrificed.

He asked Noura Erakat to participate in the event.

Defending Education redacted the names from the following document.