State: New York
City: New York City
Campus: New York University (NYU)
Helga Tawil-Souri is a professor at New York University whose career combines scholarship with open pro-Palestinian activism. Through her writing, conferences, and direct participation in encampments, she has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide, denied its security concerns, and endorsed boycotts that target Israeli institutions.
Support for Encampments and Campus Protests
In 2024, Tawil-Souri actively participated in illegal pro-Palestinian encampments at NYU. By aligning herself with disruptive activism that created a hostile environment for Jewish students, she provided faculty legitimacy to movements that vilify Israel and excuse Hamas-aligned rhetoric.
Demonization of Israel
Tawil-Souri has repeatedly portrayed Israel as uniquely criminal and illegitimate:
In 2024, during an interview following the release of her co-authored book Producing Palestine, she accused Israel of committing “genocide in Gaza” and blamed Israel for the “destruction of media, killing of journalists, censorship, and obfuscation of Palestinian voices.”
In 2018, she denied that Israel faces any real security threats, dismissing them as excuses for “aggressive policies.”
In 2014, she co-authored a paper, Intifada 3.0? Cyber colonialism and Palestinian resistance, accusing Israel of perpetrating “colonialism” in the West Bank.
These claims mirror antisemitic propaganda that delegitimizes Israel’s existence and reframes terrorism as “resistance.”
Endorsement of Boycotts
Tawil-Souri has a long record of support for boycotts targeting Israel:
In 2021, she signed a letter from Faculty of Color for an Anti-Racist NYU, calling for a boycott of NYU’s Tel Aviv campus and accusing Israel of apartheid.
In 2017, she moderated a panel promoting the book Assuming Boycott: Resistance, Agency and Cultural Production, which framed academic and cultural boycotts of Israel as “an effective and moral lever for civil rights.”
By supporting these initiatives, she reinforced BDS campaigns that stigmatize Jewish and Israeli institutions while excusing the violence of Palestinian groups.
Conferences and Public Appearances
Tawil-Souri’s activism has extended beyond NYU:
In 2025, she appeared at a Columbia University event, Producing Palestine: A Discussion, alongside other activists known for anti-Israel positions.
In 2022, she took part in an anti-Israel conference held in East Jerusalem, further entrenching her ties to international networks that delegitimize Israel.
Conclusion
Helga Tawil-Souri uses her position as an NYU professor to normalize rhetoric that accuses Israel of genocide, denies Jewish security concerns, and champions boycotts against Israeli institutions. By participating in encampments and academic forums that glorify “resistance” while delegitimizing Israel, she contributes to an environment of antisemitism and hostility on campus under the cover of scholarship and activism.
