Individuals

Abdourahman A. Waberi is a novelist, poet, and essayist from Djibouti who now teaches French and Francophone Studies and Creative Writing at George Washington University. While known for his literary work, Waberi has increasingly used his academic platform to promote anti-Israel rhetoric and legitimize extremist narratives. His social media activity and public commentary since October 7 reveal an obsession with framing Israel as genocidal, glorifying Palestinian “resistance,” and defending campus encampments that have fueled antisemitic hostility.

Diana Pardo Pedraza is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs at George Washington University. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, she presents herself as an ethnographer studying post-conflict landscapes and environmental politics, yet her public record shows a steady pattern of political activism and anti-Israel advocacy. Pedraza routinely uses her academic role to legitimize extremist rhetoric, describing Israel as a colonizer, endorsing encampments, and amplifying “genocide” accusations that echo Hamas-aligned narratives.

Imani M. Cheers is an associate professor of digital storytelling at George Washington University and Director of Academic Adventures for Planet Forward. While her title suggests a focus on media and education, Cheers has built a career transforming journalism and film into tools for political activism. Her work routinely frames Israel as an apartheid state, erases the context of terrorism, and romanticizes anti-Israel movements under the banner of “liberation.” Through her courses, documentaries, and media appearances, Cheers uses her academic position to normalize extremist narratives within American higher education.

Marc Lynch is a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University, where he directs both the Institute for Middle East Studies and the Middle East Studies Program. He is also the director of POMEPS (Project on Middle East Political Science) — a network funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York that heavily shapes Middle East discourse in U.S. academia.Lynch’s scholarship and public commentary have repeatedly advanced pro-Palestinian narratives, portraying Israel in accusatory terms while legitimizing hostile rhetoric within academic and policy circles. As both a professor and influential policy voice, Lynch has played a central role in mainstreaming language that undermines Israel’s legitimacy and amplifies anti-Zionist frameworks.

Genocide, Kuemmerle has become one of the loudest voices accusing Israel of genocide, denying its right to self-defense, and aligning with radical networks both online and on the streets.

Lara Jirmanus, a Lebanese-Palestinian physician and lecturer at Harvard University, has emerged as one of the most radical faculty voices fusing healthcare with extremist politics.

Mary Travis Bassett, physician and professor of public health, currently serves as Director of Harvard University’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. Once recognized for her work on urban health equity, Bassett has abandoned medical neutrality to advance extremist rhetoric.

Diana Buttu is not just a Harvard lecturer and public speaker — she is one of the most outspoken defenders of extremist movements that glorify terrorism, promote antisemitism, and demonize Zionism on the global stage.

Qais Dana is an anti-Zionist campus activist in the Philadelphia area who has repeatedly appeared at protests and rallies that praised Hamas and called for the elimination of the Jewish state.

Maya Shankar is an international student from Barcelona, Spain, currently enrolled as a JD candidate at Temple University. Shankar has become a visible activist in Philadelphia’s radical anti-Zionist scene, participating in and speaking at multiple pro-Hamas rallies and encampments.