Huda Fakhreddine, a tenured professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has leveraged her academic platform to glorify terrorism, spread antisemitic rhetoric, and incite division. Her public statements, participation in rallies, and social media activity reveal a disturbing pattern of extremist views that threaten campus unity and safety and violate faculty conduct and open expression guidelines, as well as her ethical and contractual duties as an educator.
Knowingly Violating Conduct and Promoting Extremism
No faculty member has the right to knowingly aid and abet students or third-party agitators in violating university guidelines, engaging in illegal activities, or committing crimes. Yet, Fakhreddine has consistently supported actions that undermine campus safety and the university’s reputation.
Her involvement in the illegal encampment (April–May 2024) exemplifies her disregard for institutional rules. Despite evidence of hidden weapons, code violations, and plans for escalation, she publicly misrepresented the protest as “peaceful” while actively orchestrating it. Thirty-three protesters were arrested when law enforcement dismantled the encampment, including students and faculty members.
Fakhreddine also uses her leadership role in Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine (PennFJP) to lobby for personal immunity while actively encouraging divisive and harmful activities, placing both students and the university in harm’s way.
Support for Terrorism and Justification of Violence
Fakhreddine has repeatedly supported and justified acts of terrorism, particularly by Hamas. Her public statements include:
- October 7, 2023 (Twitter):
“كنّا نائمين وكانت فلسطين تخترع الحياة من جديد”
Translation: “While we were asleep, Palestine invented a new way of life.”
This tweet glorifies Hamas’s brutal attack on Israeli civilians, framing the mass murder of over 1,200 people as a form of resistance.
Leadership in Pro-Terror Events
Fakhreddine has played a central role in organizing and participating in numerous extremist events, including:
- October 16, 2023 Pro-Hamas Rally:
Fakhreddine actively participated in the “Collective Walkout for Palestine” rally, organized at the University of Pennsylvania shortly after Hamas’s invasion of Israel, during which over 1,200 civilians were murdered, and numerous war crimes were committed, with chants like “When people are occupied, resistance is justified!”, glorifying terrorism and violence.
- October 18, 2023 Vigil and Walkout:
Two days later, Fakhreddine joined a rally mourning “victims of the monstrous Israeli attack on Gaza,” disregarding the context of Hamas’s atrocities. Protesters glorified “martyrs” and chanted slogans that endorsed violent uprisings, such as “There is only one solution! Intifada, revolution!”.
- Palestine Writes Literature Festival (September 2023):
Fakhreddine was a key organizer of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival held at Penn in September 2023, a highly criticized event featuring speakers known for antisemitic views, like Roger Waters and Marc Lamont Hill. The festival led to widespread criticism and concerns about fostering a hostile environment for Jewish students. One participant, Refaat Alareer, later mocked the murder of a Jewish baby by Hamas, further fueling the backlash.
Fakhreddine’s prominent role in these events demonstrates her active leadership in organizing and amplifying extremist narratives on campus. These rallies, marked by hate-filled rhetoric and glorification of violence, highlight her influence in creating an environment hostile to Jewish students and those seeking open, respectful dialogue.
By combining her academic credentials and public presence, Fakhreddine has become a central figure in perpetuating these divisive movements, posing a direct challenge to campus safety and the principles of inclusivity and mutual respect.
Manipulating Academia for Extremist Agendas
Fakhreddine uses her academic position to amplify extremist views:
- Promotion of Protests:
In contradiction of her duties as an educator, and in violation of her contract, Huda actively promoted and participated in protests and strikes on campus.
She encouraged students to participate in a “strike for Palestine and Lebanon” and a “Global Strike for the Resistance” on October 1, 2024, and publicly supported actions that violated university policies, such as the illegal encampment.
Similarly, she played an active role in leading the encampment and numerous other protests.
In May 2024 she spoke on behalf of Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine (Penn FJP) alongside her colleague Sukaina Hirji in defense of the student encampment. In her statement, Huda accused the university of “caving under the pressure of donors and outside lobbyists”, without reference to the protesters support for designated terror organizations, describing the students’ demands as “clear, just, and reasonable”.
- Lawsuit Against Transparency:
In March 2024, Fakhreddine, along with other members of Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine, filed a lawsuit against the University of Pennsylvania. The lawsuit aimed to prevent the university from providing documents to the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which was investigating antisemitic incidents on campus. This legal action was clearly an attempt to hinder transparency regarding antisemitism and shield extremists from accountability.
Conclusion
Huda Fakhreddine’s repeated glorification of terrorism, propagation of antisemitic narratives, and willful violations of university policies present a grave threat to campus safety and integrity. By exploiting her academic role to amplify extremism and incite division, she has created a hostile environment for Jewish students and undermined the principles of inclusivity and respect. Her actions demand immediate accountability to restore safety and trust at the University of Pennsylvania.
