Leyla Amzi-Erdogdular

Leyla Amzi-Erdogdular is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Rutgers University–Newark, where she teaches Middle East and Islamic Studies. She earned her Ph.D. in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies from Columbia University. Amzi-Erdogdular has repeatedly amplified anti-Israel rhetoric and aligned herself with campus activism hostile to Jewish students.

Campus Involvement and Anti-Israel Posts
On April 29, 2024, Amzi-Erdogdular posted a picture from the Columbia University encampment, adding the caption: “At Columbia but everywhere #gaza.” The encampment at Columbia was a hub for antisemitic incidents, where Jewish students were harassed, blocked from campus spaces, and forced to confront chants glorifying violence.

Social Media Activity
Amzi-Erdogdular has used her social media to amplify inflammatory accusations against Israel:

• November 27, 2024: Posted a picture with hashtags “#Gaza_Genocide” and “#GazaGenocide.”

• June 5, 2024: Shared an Al Jazeera article titled “It is not ‘ethnic cleansing’, it is genocide.”

These posts push false narratives that demonize Israel while fueling hostile campus environments for Jewish students.

Signatory to Anti-Israel Letters

• February 2025: Signed a resolution “to Oppose Scholasticide in Gaza.”

• May 2021: Signed a Rutgers faculty letter condemning Israel’s “military assault on Palestinians across all regions.”

Conclusion
Through her signatures on anti-Israel resolutions, public support for encampments, and repeated use of rhetoric accusing Israel of “genocide,” Leyla Amzi-Erdogdular has aligned herself with movements that foster hostility toward Jewish students. Her activism underscores how faculty participation has helped legitimize antisemitic narratives within campus spaces.