Professor Hamid Dabashi, a tenured professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, recently posted anti-Semitic statements on his public Facebook page. In a May 8th post, Dabashi wrote, “Every dirty treacherous ugly and pernicious act happening in the world just wait for a few days and the ugly name of ‘Israel’ will pup [sic] up as a key actor in the atrocities.” He also labeled all opponents to the Iran nuclear deal as “diehard Fifth Column Zionists working against the best interests of Americans and for the best interests of Israelis.”

These egregious statements prompted Columbia faculty, alumni, and students to send a letter to the university urging it to take action.

Habid Dabashi has a history of stoking similar controversies. In 2006, Sarah Stern gave testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on an anti-Semitic article Professor Dabashi allegedly wrote in 2004 for Al Ahram, an Egyptian newspaper. Stern claimed that in the article, Professor Dabashi wrote that Israeli Jews have “a vulgarity of character that is bone-deep and structural to the skeletal vertebrae of [their] culture.” Professor Dabashi later denied Stern’s allegations of anti-Semitism and claimed that he did not use the phrase “Israeli Jews” in the article. In response, Sarah Stern explained that based on context, Hamid Dabashi was clearly referring to Israeli Jews. In a 2005 article inThe Nationreferring to the same Al Ahram piece, Scott Sherman concluded that Professor Dabashi’s article could “easily be construed as anti-Semitic.”

Under the State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism, statements which demonize or dehumanize Jews, as well as statements which demonize Israel by “blaming Israel for all inter-religious or political tensions,” are generally anti-Semitic. Professor Dabashi’s description of Israeli Jews as having an integral vulgarity characterizes them as animals, thereby dehumanizing them. His claim that Israel is a “key actor” in all atrocities is a clear example of “blaming Israel for all inter-religious or political tensions.” Additionally, “accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations” is anti-Semitic. Under this definition, Professor Dabashi’s claim that American Jews who oppose the Iran nuclear deal are prioritizing Israeli interests while acting against American interests is anti-Semitic.

On May 29^th, Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF)– Columbia/Barnard Chapter sent an open letter to Columbia University President Lee Bollinger and the Board of Trustees, appealing to the university to address Professor Dabashi’s anti-Semitic remarks. Signed by close to 250 people, the letter emphasized that Professor Dabashi’s statements are categorized as anti-Semitism under the State Department definition. The letter additionally outlined:

As a premier Ivy League University, Columbia University has values that include the exchange of ideas, respect, accountability, and providing a proper education. Unfortunately, Professor Dabashi’s actions threaten the very academic freedom Columbia University cherishes. It is our hope that Columbia University acts expeditiously to confront the anti-Semitic bigotry of Professor Hamid Dabashi.

The signatories requested that Columbia University take specific action by publicly condemning Professor Dabashi’s statements, stating that Jewish and pro-Israel students remain welcome at Columbia, meeting with representatives to discuss improvements to the campus environment, and “[relieving] Professor Dabashi of teaching responsibilities until he commits to recognizing and ending his anti-Semitic rhetoric.”

Representatives from StandWithUs, Chabad at Columbia University, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Students Supporting Israel (SSI), the Lawfare Project, and the Zionist Organization of America co-signed the letter. Thirty-five Columbia University faculty and staff also signed it.

Alongside the letter, ACF included testimony from faculty members, alumni, students, and other concerned community members. Columbia University alumnus Scott Aronin wrote, “Allowing this professor to stay on while publicly spewing such vile bigotry fundamentally tarnishes the reputation of CU and completely undermines the academic mission to open mindedly seek truth while exhibiting tolerance and fairness. He should be removed and publicly disavowed.” Other co-signatories expressed similar sentiments.

Columbia University student leaders have expressed their concern about Professor Dabashi to the Louis D. Brandeis Center. Adele Stolovitz, President of Aryeh: Columbia Students Association for Israel, stated: “Many Zionist students at Columbia have become desensitized to hearing anti-Israel rhetoric in our classrooms and on our University-wide social media. But the prevalence of these bigoted views in our forums does not negate the vileness of Dabashi’s statement. It is a shame that Professor Dabashi can use his well-established position at Columbia University to propagate hate speech targeted at Zionists.”

Dalia Zahger, President of Students Supporting Israel at Columbia University, articulated her view that, “Dabashi is one example of many others on campus and it seems like when it comes to Israel and/or Israelis, demonizing and inciting becomes legitimate.” Despite her concern, Zahger remains hopeful that “this letter will wake someone’s attention in the administration…it is now the responsibility of the University to hold professors accountable for their inciting and demonizing language.”

In a press release about the open letter, ACF-Columbia/Barnard Chapter Leader Victor Muslin similarly voiced his hope that “this letter, featuring a diverse cohort of faculty, staff, prominent alumni and community members will call attention to this professor’s inflammatory comments.”

Professor Hamid Dabashi’s recent post and the subsequent ACF letter follow a tumultuous spring at Columbia University. The student body at Barnard College, one of Columbia’s four undergraduate schools, voted in an April referendum to divest from Israel. Barnard President Sian Leah Beilock then responded by rejecting the BDS referendum.

As of June 10, Columbia University has not officially responded to ACF’s letter regarding Professor Dabashi.