Noura Erakat presents herself as a human rights attorney and academic—but her public record shows a consistent pattern of glorifying terrorism, whitewashing Hamas atrocities, and promoting ideologically extreme positions that threaten campus safety and erode academic integrity. Her words and actions have repeatedly crossed the line from critique into justification of violence and support for terror-affiliated individuals.
Justifying the October 7th Massacre
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On October 7, 2023, just hours after Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more, Erakat posted that any “shock” to the attacks reflected complicity in Palestinian “strangulation.”
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She repeatedly refused to condemn the massacre, and instead equated Hamas’s atrocities to “resistance” and “popular uprisings.”
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In interviews and threads, she portrayed Hamas’s actions as “representing the collective interests of the Palestinian people.”
Promoting Terror-Affiliated Figures
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Publicly praised Khader Adnan, a senior figure in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, after his death, calling him a symbol of compassion and resistance—despite his history of inciting violence and calls to resume armed conflict.
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Shared posts defending Walid Daqqah, a convicted terrorist and leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as well as Rasmea Odeh, who helped plan a bombing that killed two Israelis in 1969.
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Described Hamas-affiliated sniper Hossam Shabat as a journalist worth mourning, ignoring his known terror affiliation.
Turning Classrooms into Political Battlegrounds
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Signed a Rutgers faculty letter that condemned Israel’s response to terror attacks but made no mention of Hamas atrocities.
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Has taught and spoken at universities across the U.S. on why legal strategies alone are insufficient, arguing that armed resistance should be integrated into the Palestinian cause.
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In her own writings, she calls Israel’s existence as a Jewish state illegitimate, advocates for a “one-state” solution, and minimizes the historical and legal basis for Jewish self-determination.
Undermining Democratic and Legal Norms
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Stated she studied law not to uphold justice, but to “weaponize it” against Israel—calling legal frameworks “politics by other means.”
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Rejects coexistence frameworks like the two-state solution, instead portraying “Palestine as revolution,” and “Israel as apartheid and colonialism.”
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Routinely shares and supports content calling Israel a “fascist,” “genocidal,” and “settler-colonial state.”
Championing Campus Radicalism
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Has promoted and participated in multiple encampments, including at Princeton and University of Pennsylvania, appearing alongside radical student groups and SJP chapters.
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Shared slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and participated in online mobilization supporting disruptive campus occupations.
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Continues to frame anti-Israel protests as moral imperatives, even when tied to intimidation, antisemitism, and violations of university conduct codes.
Conclusion
Noura Erakat’s role as a legal scholar has been weaponized to legitimize political violence, glorify terror-linked individuals, and promote extremist ideologies that threaten campus environments and public trust in academia. Her unwavering support for Hamas-affiliated figures and her rationalization of violence undermine any claims to neutrality, and her presence on a public university campus raises serious questions about academic accountability, campus safety, and moral clarity.
