Jacob Remes is an Associate Professor at NYU’s Gallatin School and the founding director of the Initiative for Critical Disaster Studies. While presented as a historian of modern North America, Remes has become a vocal campus activist, consistently attacking Israel, equating Zionism with white supremacy, and defending encampments that foster hostility toward Jewish and pro-Israel students.
Delegitimizing Zionism and Israel
Remes has a long record of statements denying Jewish history and demonizing Israel:
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In 2012 and 2016, he claimed that support for Israel fuels “real, serious” antisemitism.
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In 2014, he accused Israel of being an apartheid state, described Israelis as “fascists,” and claimed Israel was “slaughtering” Palestinians in Gaza.
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In 2016, he compared Israel to Nazi Germany.
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In 2017, he went further, advocating against Israel’s existence in any political form.
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In 2018, he denied any historic Jewish connection to the land of Israel.
By portraying Zionism as inherently racist and illegitimate, Remes aligns with rhetoric that denies Jewish self-determination and fuels antisemitism.
Support for Encampments and Protests
Remes has been an active participant in disruptive encampments on multiple campuses:
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In April 2024, he was photographed at Columbia’s encampment wearing a Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) badge while activists demanded divestment from Israel and accused it of “genocide” and “apartheid.”
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In May 2024, he defended New York encampments in the press, describing them as places of “warmth and debate” and insisting that opposition to “genocide” should not be equated with antisemitism.
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At NYU, he participated in encampments that were explicitly pro-Hamas and pro-BDS.
By framing such protests as academic debate, Remes provides cover for antisemitic activism on campus.
Amplifying Antisemitic Narratives
Remes has repeatedly echoed and promoted rhetoric that blames Jews or Israel for antisemitism:
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In 2014 and 2016, he argued that Zionism itself generates antisemitism and claimed that critics of BDS put Jews at risk.
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In 2019, he suggested that Zionists are complicit in “white supremacy” and hostile toward diaspora Jews.
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On October 8, 2023, after Hamas’s massacre of Israeli civilians, Remes tweeted support for a JFREJ statement that placed blame on Israel, calling the attacks “neither justifiable nor unprovoked.”
Such framing shifts accountability away from terrorism and reinforces antisemitic double standards.
Advocacy for Boycotts and Anti-Israel Petitions
Remes has consistently signed petitions and letters that delegitimize Israel:
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In 2014, he signed an open letter advocating for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and another to President Obama urging suspension of U.S. aid to Israel.
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In 2017, he publicly supported the BDS movement.
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In February 2014, he signed “An Open Letter on the Anti-Boycott Bills,” opposing legislation meant to restrict antisemitic boycotts.
Defending Antisemitic Figures
Remes also defended Steven Salaita, an academic who lost a professorship after antisemitic posts, including one celebrating the possible abduction of Israelis. Remes supported Salaita’s reinstatement, portraying his firing as a free speech violation rather than acknowledging the antisemitic nature of his statements.
Attacks on the ADL
In August 2022, Remes accused the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of joining a “McCarthyite tradition” of targeting leftist Jews, calling Jonathan Greenblatt’s leadership an “insult.” He dismissed concerns about antisemitism within JFREJ, ignoring the group’s record of inflammatory rhetoric.
Conclusion
Jacob Remes uses his platform as a professor at NYU to delegitimize Israel, defend antisemitic speech, and promote encampments that intimidate Jewish students. By framing Zionism as a source of antisemitism and dismissing Jewish historical ties to Israel, he normalizes narratives that vilify Jews under the guise of academic freedom and progressive activism.
