The Troubling Ties Between U.S. Universities and a Terror-Affiliated Institution

As the debate over academic partnerships intensifies, several prestigious U.S. universities are under scrutiny for maintaining ties with Birzeit University, a West Bank institution with deep connections to Hamas and a history of pro-terrorist activities. Despite growing concerns about Birzeit’s radical leadership, its celebrations of terrorism, and its anti-American rhetoric, prominent schools like Harvard, MIT, and Rutgers continue to engage with the university.

Birzeit University, located near Ramallah, has long been a hub of Hamas-affiliated activities. Its student government, overwhelmingly controlled by Hamas, frequently organizes parades featuring military uniforms, mock suicide belts, and chants glorifying violence against Israelis.

The university’s leadership, including Hanan Ashrawi, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, openly denies Hamas’ atrocities and promotes anti-Israel propaganda. Ashrawi has dismissed credible evidence of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks, including reports of sexual violence and civilian massacres. She has even praised senior Hamas commanders and referred to the IDF’s targeted strikes on terrorists as “long-distance assassinations.”

Experts like Jonathan Schanzer from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warn that Birzeit’s radicalism has reached a new extreme. “U.S. universities should be concerned about partnering with Birzeit while Hamas is in control of its student body and there are open displays of radicalism on campus,” Schanzer said.

Despite this troubling history, numerous American universities have maintained or recently formed partnerships with Birzeit, including:

• Harvard University: Hosts programs like the “Palestine Social Medicine Course” at Birzeit, focusing on “settler colonialism.”

• MIT: Co-hosted an academic conference with Birzeit in April 2023.

• Rutgers University: Entered an agreement in 2022 to share curricula and offer joint degree programs.

• William Paterson University: Established an exchange program with Birzeit in 2022.

Student groups from institutions such as the University of Michigan and NYU have also visited Birzeit, while professors from the university are frequently invited to speak on U.S. campuses.

Birzeit’s faculty includes individuals with documented ties to terrorism. Philosophy professor Abdaljawad Omar praised Hamas’ October 7 attacks and participated in events linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

The school also openly honors terrorists, naming buildings after figures like Kamal Nasser of Black September, responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. Annual parades celebrate terrorist organizations, further cementing the institution’s radical identity.

Schanzer emphasized the risks of sending American students to the West Bank, particularly given the volatile security situation. “Israelis have arrested more than 4,000 terrorists in the West Bank since October 7 and confiscated thousands of weapons smuggled through Jordan,” he noted. “This is the wrong time for academic partnerships in such a dangerous environment.”

As Birzeit University continues to promote radicalism, questions mount about why U.S. universities persist in partnering with an institution so openly hostile to American and Israeli values. Lawmakers and experts are urging schools like Harvard and Rutgers to reassess these relationships to avoid further legitimizing extremist ideologies.

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