Karishma Desai, a faculty member at Rutgers University, has used her academic standing to promote anti-Israel extremism and support student movements that glorify terrorism and justify violence under the guise of “resistance.” Though her public actions remain relatively low-profile, her online activity reveals consistent support for voices affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), and radical activists like Nerdeen Kiswani and Noura Erakat—both of whom are known for justifying Hamas-led violence.
Karishma Desai’s Actions
Endorsing Extremist Messaging
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October 7, 2024: Reposted Noura Erakat’s claim that Israel’s response to Hamas terrorism was “genocide.”
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Reposted content calling colonial resistance “not terrorism” and suggesting that “genocide” in Palestine is tied to broader U.S. oppression.
Supporting Anti-Israel Protest Networks
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November 13, 2023: Shared a Columbia SJP protest invite co-sponsored by CUAD and JVP—groups with documented history of antisemitic rhetoric and pro-terror stances.
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April 2024: Amplified videos glorifying the Columbia encampment—an event that involved harassment of Jewish students and defiance of university orders.
Elevating Radical Figures
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Amplified a post by Nerdeen Kiswani, a figure known for supporting Palestinian “resistance” through violence and calling for the dismantling of Israel.
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Shared content of Rashida Tlaib accusing the Israeli Prime Minister of genocide during a congressional session.
Why It Matters
Though not as high-profile as other faculty, Desai represents a growing class of educators quietly embedding radical ideologies into the classroom. By validating groups like SJP and CUAD and promoting figures who excuse terrorism, she helps normalize extremist narratives within teacher training and policy education.
Educators should shape future generations with responsibility and truth—not with glorified misinformation and hate.
Karishma Desai should be scrutinized, not platformed.
