Palestinian Shahd Abusalama to be reinstated as lecturer at Sheffield Hallam Uni
Palestinian Academic reclaims her post as lecturer and returns to Sheffield Hallam Uni victorious after facing allegations of antisemitism.
Academic Shahd Abusalama received a suspension notice from Sheffield Hallam Uni this past January, which is said to cite “external complaints,” as reason for said suspension. However, the academic soon found out from Israeli media sources that the Zionist lobby was to blame.
Thank you so much for covering my case and keeping the momentum #InSupportOfShahd and all Palestinian voices! https://t.co/KelgoNmgxS
— ShahdAbusalama (@ShahdAbusalama) January 29, 2022
The malicious allegations thrown against Abusalama were brought under the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, which sees “the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity,” as a manifestation of antisemitic views.
Since its introduction in 2016, Palestinian activists and supporters of the Palestinian cause have protested against the IHRA definition on the grounds that it limits Palestinian freedom of speech by disallowing them to speak out against the crimes of the Zionist regime.
Widespread Support
Many individuals and organizations joined in on the #InSupportOfShahd campaign by addressing letters of complaint to Sheffield Hallam University. These included pro-Palestinian bodies, as well as supporters of free speech in Academia.
“The complaints made against Shahd are illegitimate and in our view need to be understood in the context of a systematic and concerted attempt to silence Palestinian voices and to chill advocacy for Palestinian rights,” said the Palestinian Solidarity campaign (PSC), calling for the university to drop any investigations against Abusalama.
1/3 One day before the start of the semester, Shahd Abusalama was suspended from her post as an Associate Lecturer over false allegations of antisemitism. In response, we sent a letter to SHU, demanding they sustain the principles of open academic debate & freedom of expression pic.twitter.com/NNvL8UkspB
— Academia For Equality (@AcademiaFor) January 31, 2022
Israeli-based Academia for Equality also rejected the “false antisemitism allegations”. With over 700 members, the organization sent a letter to Sheffield Hallam vocalizing their support for Abusalama.
“As academics well versed in the Israel-Palestine question,” the letter reads, “we strongly reject any conflation of criticism of Israel with antisemitism. As Israeli citizens who share many of the critical views expressed by Ms. Abusalama, we see labelling such views as ‘antisemitic’ as absurd.”
Victory
Shahd announced on February 3rd that Sheffield Hallam Uni will cease all investigations of the malicious allegations levelled against her. “I have been wholly exonerated of the false charges of antisemitism, brought under the unfit-for-purpose IHRA definition.”
The university also offered an improved contract for the Palestinian academic.
We’re celebrating a fantastic victory for Palestine today 🇵🇸🎉 @sheffhallamuni will not be progressing with any further investigation of the malicious smears that have been levelled against me. 1/3#FreePalestine #InSupportOfShahd pic.twitter.com/n2zq4L7BdN
— ShahdAbusalama (@ShahdAbusalama) February 3, 2022
Shahd Abusalama has promised to continue to use her platform to call for the freedom of Palestine and to scrap the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
As she said, “the fight doesn’t end here.”
Read More:
“Anti-Semitic” claims aimed at a Palestinian university lecturer Once Again!
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