Joseph Massad is a professor of modern Arab politics and intellectual history at Columbia University in the Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAS) department. Over the years, Massad has gained notoriety for his controversial views and actions, including support for terrorist organizations, denial of Jewish historical ties to Israel, and antisemitic rhetoric. Massad’s outspoken positions have drawn sharp criticism from scholars, advocacy groups, and political figures.

Massad contributes regularly to anti-Israel propaganda outlets such as Middle East Eye (MEE), Electronic Intifada (EI), and Al Jazeera English (AJ English), where he amplifies his extremist views.

Support for Terrorism

Massad has repeatedly expressed support for terrorist organizations and individuals associated with violence:

• Glorification of Hamas: In speeches and editorials, Massad has praised the military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for what he terms “armed resistance.” He has also criticized efforts to curb Hamas’s violent activities, framing them as legitimate resistance against “colonialism.”
• Defense of Terrorist Figures: Massad has glorified leaders like Khaled Meshaal, a senior Hamas figure, while whitewashing Hamas’s calls for violence and its explicit antisemitic charter.
• Endorsement of Terrorism as “Anti-Colonial Resistance”: Massad regularly frames terrorism against civilians as “anti-colonial resistance.” In his 2019 editorial for Middle East Eye, he referred to Palestinian attacks as “real and exemplary bravery” and denounced the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) cooperation with Israel in combating terrorism.

Antisemitism and Holocaust Revisionism

Massad’s rhetoric often targets Jewish identity, history, and experiences, and has been widely condemned as antisemitic:

• Blaming Jews for Antisemitism: In his notorious 2013 editorial, The Last of the Semites, Massad accused Zionists of collaborating with Nazis during the Holocaust and implied that Jewish suffering was manipulated to justify Israel’s existence. He argued that Zionism perpetuates antisemitism, calling Israel’s actions “a continuation of Nazi policies.”
• Denial of Jewish Historical Ties: Massad frequently denies the Jewish connection to Israel, claiming that European Jews are not descendants of ancient Israelites but rather “European converts” to Judaism. He describes the Jewish presence in Israel as a “colonial enterprise” rooted in Christian antisemitic theology.
• Claiming Palestinians as the “Real Semites”: Massad often alleges that Palestinians, rather than Jews, are the true heirs to Semitic identity, a claim that has been widely criticized as both ahistorical and antisemitic.
• Comparison to Nazi Germany: Massad has compared Israeli policies to Nazi practices, including equating Israeli defensive measures with the atrocities of the Holocaust. He likened the Palestinian Authority to the Nazi “Judenrat” and described the Hamas-led violence as analogous to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Joseph Massad: Controversial and Antisemitic Statements

Blaming Jews for Antisemitism

• Editorial in Al Jazeera English (May 21, 2013): “The Last of the Semites”
  • Claimed that “Zionists collaborated with Nazis” during the Holocaust.
  • Argued that “Zionism’s anti-Semitic programme of assimilating Jews into whiteness” continues antisemitic policies.
  • Alleged that “Israel’s claims that it represents and speaks for all Jews” is one of “the most anti-Semitic claims of all.”
• Editorial in Electronic Intifada (January 31, 2003):
  • Stated: “The ultimate achievement of Israel is the transformation of the Jew into the anti-Semite and the Palestinian into the Jew.”

Denial of Jewish Historical Ties

• Middle East Eye Editorial (August 28, 2020): “UAE-Israel Deal: Abraham Accord or Israeli Colonialism?”
  • Alleged that “European Jews are not descendants of ancient Hebrews but converts to Judaism.”
  • Described the Abraham Accords as “a religious halo to mask Zionist colonialism.”
• Middle East Eye Editorial (May 14, 2020): “Nakba: The Forgotten 19th Century Origins of the Palestinian Catastrophe”
  • Claimed: “Zionist Jewish colonisation of Palestine was a culmination of European Christian efforts to colonise Palestine.”

Comparing Israel to Nazi Germany

• Electronic Intifada Article (January 4, 2009): “The Gaza Ghetto Uprising”
  • Likened Hamas attacks on Israel to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
  • Referred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) as the “Judenrat” and accused Israel of aiming to create a state that is “Palästinenser-rein.”
• Peer-Reviewed Journal Interventions (2003):
  • Wrote that Israel modeled its army on “the Nazi system.”
  • Claimed that “Zionism’s Jewish supremacy borrowed much from anti-Semitic rhetoric.”

Demonizing Zionists and Israel

• Electronic Intifada Editorial (May 13, 2018): “The Future of the Nakba”
  • Stated that the Zionist movement began with “racialist and discriminatory goals” over 140 years ago.
• Middle East Eye Editorial (August 23, 2019):
  • Accused Israel of being founded on “ethnic cleansing and Jewish supremacist rule.”
• Speech at Cornell University (April 2015):
  • Declared: “Israel has a right to be a state but not to be a Jewish state.”

Glorification of Terrorism

• Speech at The Jerusalem Fund Conference (November 8, 2019):
  • Praised Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for “armed resistance.”
• Middle East Eye Editorial (August 30, 2019):
  • Referred to Palestinian terrorism as “anti-colonial resistance” and condemned efforts to suppress it.
• Middle East Eye Editorial (May 21, 2013):
  • Defended Khaled Meshaal of Hamas, stating: “We do not fight the Jews because they are Jews. We fight the Zionist occupiers and aggressors.”

Allegations Against Jewish and Israeli Organizations

• Middle East Eye Editorial (December 4, 2019):
  • Claimed that Israel is “the main regional aggressor in the entire Middle East.”
  • Alleged that Israel sought “regional dominance through overwhelming military superiority.”
• Middle East Eye Editorial (August 24, 2018):
  • Suggested that defining Israel as a Jewish state is “anti-Semitic.”

Accusations of Holocaust Manipulation

• Russia Today Interview (January 27, 2020):
  • Claimed that Israel uses the Holocaust to “whitewash war crimes.”
• Editorial in Al Jazeera English (May 21, 2013):
  • Accused Israel of receiving Holocaust reparations while neglecting to honor the true victims of Nazism.

These statements have been widely criticized as inflammatory, antisemitic, and contributing to extremist narratives. Let me know if you would like detailed sources or further elaboration on any of these points.

Professional Controversies

Massad’s career has been marred by allegations of academic bias and antisemitism:

• Columbia University Investigation: In 2004, Massad was investigated for allegations of antisemitism and academic intimidation. Students accused him of hostility toward Jewish and pro-Israel viewpoints, including reports of verbal attacks against students in his classroom.
• Anti-Israel Rallies: During the Second Intifada, Massad canceled classes to lead an anti-Israel rally on Columbia’s campus, where he referred to Israel as a “racist state” and called for its elimination.
• Platforming Antisemitism: Massad has used media outlets like Electronic Intifada to disseminate anti-Zionist rhetoric, often employing inflammatory comparisons and conspiratorial claims against Jewish and Israeli communities.

Joseph Massad’s career is emblematic of a dangerous blend of academic legitimacy and extremist ideology. Through his writings, lectures, and public appearances, he has consistently aligned himself with antisemitic narratives, terrorist glorification, and the demonization of Israel. His rhetoric not only incites hostility but also undermines the academic environment by promoting divisive and intolerant ideologies.