Linda Gordon is a Jewish American professor of history at New York University (NYU), where she teaches courses on gender, social movements, imperialism, and modern U.S. history. Despite her academic stature, Gordon has repeatedly aligned herself with campaigns and statements that excuse or minimize antisemitism under the guise of criticizing Israel. Through her signatures, articles, and public posts, she has supported efforts to delegitimize Israel, defended disruptive campus protests, and amplified narratives that contribute to hostility toward Jewish students.
Support for Anti-Israel Petitions and Letters
In November 2023, Gordon signed an open letter from Jewish writers condemning “the widespread narrative that any criticism of Israel is inherently antisemitic.” That same month, she also signed a petition calling on NYU to divest from Israeli companies. Earlier, in August 2023, she joined another open letter urging American Jewish organizations to withdraw support for Israel and its government.
She also signed an “Open Letter to the Israeli and U.S. Governments and Others Weaponizing the Issue of Rape,” adding her name to a controversial statement that downplayed concerns about the use of sexual violence in the context of Hamas terrorism.
Endorsing BDS and Anti-Israel Campaigns
Gordon has been an outspoken supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. In January 2015, she published an article titled Bringing BDS Home, voicing her personal support for the campaign. The following month, she co-authored another piece describing forms of BDS they considered most effective. In December 2014, she published an opinion piece that openly endorsed global BDS as a way to pressure Israel, describing Israeli governance as “occupation” and “repressive.”
In August 2014, Gordon signed a BDS petition titled A Call to People of Conscience Not to Speak at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Until Chancellor Wise Honor the Contract to Hire Professor Steven Salaita. The same summer, she also signed a letter to President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress accusing Israel of inflicting “disproportionate harm” on Gaza.
Public Statements and Social Media Activity
Gordon has frequently used her platform to spread anti-Israel narratives. In September 2014, she published an opinion piece critiquing how media discussions of Gaza framed Israeli military actions. In April 2024, she wrote a post accusing Israel of carrying out a “massacre,” and in May 2024 she shared an open letter by Columbia University faculty supporting pro-Palestinian protests.
Her online activity in late 2024 and early 2025 included posts and memes mocking concerns about antisemitism, reposting graphics about “genocide in Palestine,” portraying Gaza as a prison, and promoting slogans like “Long Live Palestine.” In February 2025, she circulated a meme dismissing accusations of antisemitism against pro-Palestinian protesters while instead pointing to Elon Musk making a “Nazi salute.”
Conclusion
By consistently endorsing petitions, protests, and rhetoric that demonize Israel while trivializing antisemitism, Linda Gordon has blurred the line between academic freedom and the normalization of extremist activism. Her use of classroom authority and public platforms to amplify divisive narratives undermines the safety and inclusion of Jewish students at NYU.
