The Arrest and Persecution of Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian
Statement on the
Arrest of Hebrew University Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian
Around 5 pm on Thursday, April 18, 2024, Hebrew University professor and internationally renowned feminist scholar Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian was arrested by Israeli police at her home in the Old City of Jerusalem on the charge of incitement to violence. The police raided and searched her home and she is currently undergoing harsh and dehumanizing interrogation. Her lawyer said the charges against her are serious. Information about her release is unknown. Palestinians in Israeli detention suffer physical, emotional, and mental violence. Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian, who holds both Israeli and U.S. citizenship, has been subjected to violent repression and harassment by the Hebrew University for speaking out against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Furthermore, she was suspended from her teaching duties in March, though later reinstated once it became clear that there is no basis for the allegations against her.
The attack against Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian is one on all Palestinian scholars, students, and activists who bring to light the violent and genocidal nature of the Israeli state, which was on full view of the world during South Africa’s presentation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). That presentation was sufficiently persuasive that the ICJ almost unanimously found in its provisional ruling on January 26, 2024 that Israel’s attack on Gaza is plausibly genocide. We thus recognize this as an attempt to silence critique of Israeli state violence in a context of a society infused with open genocidal incitement and discourse. In fact, the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the arrest and said that it "conveys an important message - whoever incites against the State of Israel, we will take action against them. They will not be able to hide behind their position or any other title." This silencing and repression endangers not only Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian, but also the lives and education of students who study, write, and are part of her intellectual community in the Hebrew University and beyond.
We, as international academics, hold the Hebrew University of Jerusalem responsible for the arrest and detention of Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian because of its persistent and public repression of her academic freedom, which led directly to today’s arrest. We call on international scholars, activists, and people of conscience to demand her immediate release. We are outraged by this unlawful action, and we refuse the continuing violence the Israeli state and its institutions wage against the Palestinian people and those who stand for justice and freedom.
Take action today for Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s immediate release by:
Writing to Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (asher.cohen@mail.huji.ac.il); Tamir Sheafer, Rector (tamir.sheafer@mail.huji.ac.il); and Asher Ben-Arieh, Dean of the School of Social Work (benarieh@mail.huji.ac.il).
Contacting your U.S. representatives and demanding that they (1) call for Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s immediate release, and (2) protect the academic freedom of Palestinian scholars, students, and those speaking out against genocide.
Creating a social media storm by circulating our statement and calling for the immediate release of Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian; use the hashtag #FreeNadera and tag @HebrewU.
The statement is also in this Google doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WWvuHuQD7Z4Uw8w1gEPkoLKhJ5hrAjYxwXAQBAnjUPo/edit