Two upcoming hearings at San Francisco State University could have nationwide impact on academic freedom and the rights of faculty and student to fight the censorship of Palestinian voices. Here’s how you can help.

The COVID-19 shutdown has put a stop to campus life in America, but it has not stopped advocates for Israel from attacking Israel’s academic critics, trying to banish their thinking and teaching from universities. Nor has it stopped academics and students who support Palestine from fighting back and winning.

Aiming to expose and loosen the influence of the Israel lobby on U.S. campuses, Palestinian-born professor Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi has sued San Francisco State University (SFSU) in federal court for illegal retaliation for her political speech, and in state court for breach of contract and employment discrimination.   Her supporters have issued a call for donations to a fund to cover necessary expenses of the litigation.

Last week, lawyers for Professor Rabab Abdulhadi filed suit in US District Court against San Francisco State University and top administrators including President Leslie Wong, seeking a permanent court judgment to protect the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas program, and protect the civil rights and freedom of speech of AMED director Professor Rabab Abdulhadi PhD and her students.

A small army of pro-Israeli watchdog organizations keeps a close eye on everything Palestinian academics do and say, every Tweet they post and group they join, ready to call these scholars out for alleged anti-Semitism. The groups include Hillel Int’l, which works with the Israeli ministry of education. Though critics of Israel are at last losing their fear of this army.