“As far as the university is concerned, nothing is preventing Prof. Shalhoub-Kevorkian from continuing to teach,” Hebrew University said in a statement.
By World Israel News Staff
A professor who denied the atrocities, including sexual violence, committed by the Hamas group on October 7th will be returned to her teaching position at Hebrew University after a brief suspension, the school said in a statement.
Following Hamas’ unprecedented invasion into southern Israel, which left some 1,200 Israelis dead, Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian said reports of the terror group’s mass rapes and slaughters were “lies.”
Speaking on Channel 14 News earlier in March, Shalhoub-Kevorkian claimed that Israel was exaggerating details about the Hamas attack in order to justify a military operation in the Gaza Strip.
“They will use every lie, they started with babies, they continued with rape, they will continue with a million other lies every day, we stopped believing them, I hope the world stops believing them.”
Additionally, she said that Israelis became nervous when she speaks in Arabic in public spaces, and that the reaction pleased her.
Israelis “should be scared because criminals are always scared… it’s time to abolish Zionism. It can’t continue, it’s criminal. Only by abolishing Zionism can we continue,” she said.
Shalhoub-Kevorkian, who is considered an expert in gender and sexual violence, was suspended after a public outcry over her statements.
But on Wednesday evening, Hebrew University announced that it had reinstated Shalhoub-Kevorkian and that she would be resuming her position effective immediately.
A statement from the university said that during discussions with the rector, “Shalhoub-Kevorkian clarified that as a critical feminist researcher, she believes all victims and does not cast doubt in their words and that she does not deny the fact that on October 7th there were cases of rape in the Gaza envelope.”
The statement did not explain why the professor’s stance on the sexual assaults had dramatically changed.
“After receiving this clarification, as far as the university is concerned, nothing is preventing Prof. Shalhoub-Kevorkian from continuing to teach in the School of Social Work and Public Welfare.”
The school concluded by stating that “the Hebrew University fully condemns incitement and threats against students, lecturers, individuals, and groups, and calls on the members of the university community to maintain a safe and respectful learning and research environment.”