Cornell Professor who called Hamas atrocities on Oct 7th ‘exhilarating’ returns to the classroom

Cornell University said Rickford did not deserve disciplinary action and his remarks were protected free speech.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Cornell professor Russell Rickford, who called the October 7th Hamas atrocities “exhilarating” and praised the terror group for “challenging the monopoly of violence,” has returned to the classroom after a leave of absence.

Rickford spoke at a rally only weeks after the massacre occurred, and when his remarks provoked outrage, he apologized and took a self-imposed leave of absence until the end of the year.

However, Rickford later defended his remarks by saying, “The fundamentalism of Hamas mirrors that of Israeli leadership.”

At the demonstration, Rickford said, “What has Hamas done? Hamas has shifted the balance of power. Hamas has punctured the illusion of invincibility. That’s what they have done.”

He added, “You don’t have to be a Hamas supporter to recognize that. Hamas has changed the term of debate. The Israeli officials are right; nothing will be the same again. Hamas has challenged the monopoly of violence,” he said.

In those first few hours, even as horrific acts were being carried out, many of which we would not learn about until later. There are many Gazans of goodwill, many Palestinian conscience, who abhor violence, as do you, as do I, who abhor the targeting of civilians, as do you, as do I, who were able to breathe,” Rickford explained.

“They were able to breathe for the first time in years. It was exhilarating! It was energizing! If they weren’t exhilarated by this challenge to the monopoly of violence, by the shifting of the balance of power, they would not be human. I was exhilarated!”

On news of Rickford’s return, Representatives from the Jewish community, including Mark Treyger, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), said it was unthinkable that someone who praised the worst murder of Jews since the Holocaust should be allowed to continue teaching at Cornell.

The university responded to the complaint that Rickford did not deserve disciplinary action and his remarks were protected free speech.