Rebecca E. Karl, a professor in the Department of History at New York University (NYU), has repeatedly aligned herself with anti-Israel activism on campus. Through petitions, public letters, and faculty initiatives, she has defended controversial student actions, demonized Israel, and lent her support to disgraced academics who spread antisemitic rhetoric. Her record reflects a pattern of normalizing hostility toward Jewish students under the banner of political activism.
Support for Anti-Israel Campus Activism
In April 2014, Karl signed a petition backing NYU’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) after the group targeted students in their dorms with mock eviction notices. The petition defended the campaign as a matter of free expression, even though it left Jewish students in particular feeling intimidated in their own residences. Karl also joined NYU faculty in supporting pro-BDS activists who claimed they were unfairly disqualified from an internal election, urging administrators to protect their campaign and take a stance in favor of BDS.
Demonizing Israel and Promoting Divestment
Karl has signed multiple petitions demanding that NYU divest from Israeli companies, framing Israel as responsible for atrocities in Gaza and referring to the region as the “world’s largest open-air prison.” She also co-signed a 2014 open letter to then-President Barack Obama and members of Congress that exclusively blamed Israel for the civilian toll in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge. The letter demanded that the U.S. suspend military aid to Israel and accused Israel of war crimes, ignoring Hamas’s use of human shields and indiscriminate rocket fire targeting Israeli civilians.
Defending Steven Salaita
Karl also defended Steven Salaita, whose antisemitic tweets—including one expressing a wish that “all the f**king West Bank settlers would go missing”—led the University of Illinois to withdraw his appointment in 2014. Karl signed a petition urging academics to boycott the university until Salaita’s contract was reinstated. Her defense of Salaita placed her squarely in support of an individual whose rhetoric targeted Jews and celebrated violence.
Conclusion
Rebecca E. Karl’s record at NYU demonstrates a consistent pattern of excusing antisemitic activism and amplifying campaigns that cast Israel and Jewish students as illegitimate or dangerous. By validating SJP’s harassment tactics, promoting divestment campaigns, and defending openly antisemitic figures, Karl has contributed to an environment on campus where antisemitism is excused as “activism.” Her influence as a faculty member underscores the broader problem of faculty complicity in normalizing hostility toward Jewish students at American universities.
