Case of Palestinian teacher falsely accused by Israeli lobby dropped
2 Min Read
Shahd Abusalama, an assistant lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, was falsely accused by Israeli lobbies of anti-Jewish bigotry.
-
Shahd Abusalama
Sheffield Hallam University of northern England has dropped its investigation into Shahd Abusalama, an activist and assistant lecturer who was wrongly accused of anti-Semitic prejudice by Israeli lobbies.
Abusalama was given a secure position at the university and has returned to the classroom.
We're celebrating a fantastic victory for Palestine today 🇵🇸🎉 @sheffhallamuni will not be progressing with any further investigation of the malicious smears that have been levelled against me. 1/3#FreePalestine #InSupportOfShahd pic.twitter.com/n2zq4L7BdN
— ShahdAbusalama (@ShahdAbusalama) February 3, 2022
Shahd Abusalama was just appointed as an associate lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) in the UK when, out of nowhere, she received a letter saying she was suspended from her teaching duties.
Abusalamawas the victim of a smear campaign by pro-Israeli activists following a complaint regarding her social media posts criticizing "Israel" and Zionism.
Read more: “Israel” silencing a Palestinian lecturer with "anti-Semitic" claims
After major public support and a massive outcry, she was restored to her position on January 27. The university has yet to reveal who – or whose organizations – lodged the complaint against Abusalama.
This is not the first time Palestinian scholars are targeted by "Israel" lobby groups in order to destroy their reputations and careers.
With our legal support, coordination with @UCUhallam and partners & a major public campaign @ShahdAbusalama successfully challenged @sheffhallamuni’s investigation.
— European Legal Support Center (ELSC) (@elsclegal) February 4, 2022
The uni has dropped the investigation and offered Shahd a more secure employment contract. #InSupportofShahd
2/3 pic.twitter.com/I6yib2hXKA
The victory is laced with foreshadowing of future public influence and the power of freedom of speech.
It also significantly weakens the impact of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA's) "definition" of anti-Semitism, which is frequently misconstrued to suppress free speech and support of Palestine by equating criticism of "Israel" with anti-Semitic hatred.
University representatives and College Union announced that Abusalama “has been wholly exonerated of the false charges of anti-Semitism, brought under the IHRA definition which is unfit for purpose.”
On Wednesday, the UCU chapter at Sheffield Hallam University voted a nearly unanimous motion in support of Abusalama and a moratorium on the use of the IHRA definition in the university's disciplinary procedure.
The defense team of Abusalama and her allies have made her "feel able to go to meetings with university official[s] and claim the role of the accuser, not the accused, and WINNING!,” she wrote on Instagram.
“The support was incredible and you all made it tolerable having to go through such travesty of justice.”
