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After leading calls to oust Harvard’s president, Jewish critics take aim at Jewish scholar heading antisemitism task force
(JTA) — Prominent Jewish critics of Harvard University are opposing the appointment of a Jewish studies professor to co-chair the school’s new antisemitism task force, arguing that his views on Israel and antisemitism disqualify him.
The latest controversy at Harvard began on Friday, when Derek Penslar, director of the school’s center for Jewish studies, was tapped to co-lead the new taskforce. Shortly afterward, Penslar came under attack from former Harvard President Larry Summers as well as Bill Ackman, the Harvard alum and hedge-fund activist who previously led calls for the resignation of former Harvard President Claudine Gay. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, soon joined them in their criticism.
In response, the school has doubled down on Penslar’s appointment, and a group of Jewish academics is speaking out in his defense.
The debate is erupting one month after a similar dispute played out at Stanford University, where the co-chair of the antisemitism task force, Ari Y. Kelman, stepped down from his role following nearly identical lines of criticism.
Together, the episodes demonstrate that antisemitism task forces — which a number of universities have announced since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war — are turning into another front for debate. They point to an intra-Jewish divide over the questions that lie at the heart of fighting antisemitism, and which Jews get to answer them.
The new task force at Harvard replaces an antisemitism advisory group that Gay had formed following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, and that had drawn criticism from Jews on the left for excluding Penslar — a scholar of modern Jewish history, Zionism and Israel. Harvard President Alan Garber announced the new task force on Friday, alongside one focused on Islamophobia, and said it would be co-chaired by Penslar and business professor Raffaella Sadun.
Summers and Ackman argued that Penslar holds views that are out of step with the Jewish mainstream. They object to a letter Penslar signed, prior to October, that used the word “apartheid” to refer to Israel’s control of Palestinians. They also mentioned his comment, made to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency earlier this month, that some voices have “exaggerated” the level of antisemitism at Harvard.
In addition, they cited his criticism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Association’s definition of antisemitism, which includes some forms of Israel criticism. The definition has been adopted by hundreds of governments and other entities, but its opponents say it could chill legitimate criticism of Israel.
On X, formerly Twitter, Summers called Penslar’s appointment “highly problematic.” He accused Penslar of having “publicly minimized Harvard’s anti-Semitism problem, rejected the definition used by the US government in recent years of anti-Semitism as too broad, invoked the need for the concept of settler colonialism in analyzing Israel, referred to Israel as an apartheid state and more.”
Last May, the Biden administration announced a strategy to counter antisemitism that recognizes the IHRA definition as the “most prominent” framing of antisemitism but did not adopt it exclusively.
Ackman wrote on the platform that “Harvard continues on the path of darkness,” and reposted Summers’ arguments against Penslar.
Greenblatt tweeted that the task force offered “Lessons in how NOT to combat antisemitism, Harvard edition. Start by naming a professor who libels the Jewish state and claims that ‘veins of hatred run through Jewish civilization’ to your antisemitism task force. Absolutely inexcusable. This is why Harvard is failing, full stop.”
Greenblatt appeared to be quoting a passage from Penslar’s 2023 book, “Zionism: An Emotional State,” in which he noted that Jews who lived as a small and often persecuted minority in Europe frequently fantasized about vengeance against Christians. Penslar also writes that other emotions also coursed through Jewish communities that would later adopt Zionism, including love, hope, honor and solidarity.
In a statement to JTA in the wake of the weekend’s criticisms, Penslar said he was “dedicated to the education and well-being of our students.”
He added, “I see in the Task Force on antisemitism an important opportunity to determine the nature and extent of antisemitism and more subtle forms of social exclusion that affect Jewish students at Harvard. Only with this information in hand can Harvard implement effective policies that will improve Jewish student life on campus.”
Harvard is also standing behind Penslar’s appointment, calling him “a renowned scholar” who is “highly regarded as a leading authority in his field” in its own statement to JTA.
The statement added that Penslar “approaches his research and teaching with open-mindedness and respect for conflicting points of view and approaching difficult issues with care and reason,” and “is deeply committed to tackling antisemitism and improving the experience of Jewish students at Harvard.”
As Summers’ and Ackman’s criticism spread online, a prominent consortium of Jewish scholars has also spoken out in Penslar’s defense. In a statement to JTA on Monday, the American Academy for Jewish Research said it was “dismayed” by the attacks on Penslar, adding that they “could result in long-term damage to the field” of Jewish studies.
“Professor Penslar is a prolific scholar with a stellar international reputation, whose numerous books address the historical development of many of the topics raising rancor at our universities today: antisemitism, Zionism, Jews and the military, and the history of Israel,” the group said. “It is precisely this kind of expertise that is needed in the current moment.”
This is not the first time that Harvard’s efforts at combating antisemitism have drawn backlash. Summers, Ackman and other critics had initially slammed Gay for what they called a tepid response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Gay was later pilloried after a congressional hearing in which she, along with the leaders of two other elite schools, declined to say that calling for the genocide of Jews violated campus rules.
In the days after Gay’s Congressional testimony, Rabbi David Wolpe stepped down from the antisemitism task force she had assembled. Wolpe, for decades a prominent congregational rabbi in Los Angeles, said the body was an inadequate response to the enormity of the task of fighting antisemitism. In its announcement of the new task force on Friday, the school said that Gay’s advisory group had “wrapped up its work.”
A federal Title VI civil rights investigation has been opened at Harvard for its handling of an alleged antisemitic incident on campus; Congress has also launched its own investigation into antisemitism at Harvard.
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The post After leading calls to oust Harvard’s president, Jewish critics take aim at Jewish scholar heading antisemitism task force appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Switzerland Moves to Close Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Geneva Office Over Legal Irregularities
Palestinians carry aid supplies received from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
Switzerland has moved to shut down the Geneva office of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid group, citing legal irregularities in its establishment.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza in late May, implementing a new aid delivery model aimed at preventing the diversion of supplies by Hamas, as Israel continues its defensive military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
The initiative has drawn criticism from the UN and international organizations, some of which have claimed that Jerusalem is causing starvation in the war-torn enclave.
Israel has vehemently denied such accusations, noting that, until its recently imposed blockade, it had provided significant humanitarian aid in the enclave throughout the war.
Israeli officials have also said much of the aid that flows into Gaza is stolen by Hamas, which uses it for terrorist operations and sells the rest at high prices to Gazan civilians.
With a subsidiary registered in Geneva, the GHF — headquartered in Delaware — reports having delivered over 56 million meals to Palestinians in just one month.
According to a regulatory announcement published Wednesday in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce, the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) may order the dissolution of the GHF if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Swiss decision to shut down its Geneva office.
“The GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in Switzerland … and that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered branch,” the ESA said in a statement.
Last week, Geneva authorities gave the GHF a 30-day deadline to address legal shortcomings or risk facing enforcement measures.
Under local laws and regulations, the foundation failed to meet several requirements: it did not appoint a board member authorized to sign documents domiciled in Switzerland, did not have the minimum three board members, lacked a Swiss bank account and valid address, and operated without an auditing body.
The GHF operates independently from UN-backed mechanisms, which Hamas has sought to reinstate, arguing that these vehicles are more neutral.
Israeli and American officials have rejected those calls, saying Hamas previously exploited UN-run systems to siphon aid for its war effort.
The UN has denied those allegations while expressing concerns that the GHF’s approach forces civilians to risk their safety by traveling long distances across active conflict zones to reach food distribution points.
The post Switzerland Moves to Close Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Geneva Office Over Legal Irregularities first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Key US Lawmaker Warns Ireland of Potential Economic Consequences for ‘Antisemitic Path’ Against Israel
US Sen. James Risch (R-ID) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Washington, DC, May 21, 2024. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) issued a sharp warning Tuesday, accusing Ireland of embracing antisemitism and threatening potential economic consequences if the Irish government proceeds with new legislation targeting Israeli trade.
“Ireland, while often a valuable U.S. partner, is on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering,” Risch wrote in a post on X. “If this legislation is implemented, America will have to seriously reconsider its deep and ongoing economic ties. We will always stand up to blatant antisemitism.”
Marking a striking escalation in rhetoric from a senior US lawmaker, Risch’s comments came amid growing tensions between Ireland and Israel, which have intensified dramatically since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Those attacks, in which roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, prompted a months-long Israeli military campaign in Gaza that has drawn widespread international scrutiny. Ireland has positioned itself as one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s response, accusing the Israeli government of disproportionate use of force and calling for immediate humanitarian relief and accountability for the elevated number of Palestinian civilian casualties.
Dublin’s stance has included tangible policy shifts. In May 2024, Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state, becoming one of the first European Union members to do so following the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The move was condemned by Israeli officials, who recalled their ambassador to Ireland and accused the Irish government of legitimizing terrorism. Since then, Irish lawmakers have proposed further measures, including legislation aimed at restricting imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, policies viewed in Israel and among many American lawmakers as aligning with the controversial Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
While Irish leaders have defended their approach as grounded in international law and human rights, critics in Washington, including Risch, have portrayed it as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Israel. Some US lawmakers have begun raising the possibility of reevaluating trade and diplomatic ties with Ireland in response.
Risch’s warning is one of the clearest indications yet that Ireland’s policies toward Israel could carry economic consequences. The United States is one of Ireland’s largest trading partners, and American companies such as Apple, Google, Meta and Pfizer maintain substantial operations in the country, drawn by Ireland’s favorable tax regime and access to the EU market.
Though the Trump administration has not echoed Risch’s warning, the remarks reflect growing unease in Washington about the trajectory of Ireland’s foreign policy. The State Department has maintained a careful balancing act, expressing strong support for Israel’s security while calling for increased humanitarian access in Gaza. Officials have stopped short of condemning Ireland’s actions directly but have expressed concern about efforts they see as isolating Israel on the international stage.
Ireland’s stance is emblematic of a growing international divide over the war. While the US continues to provide military and diplomatic backing to Israel, many European countries have called for an immediate ceasefire and investigations into alleged war crimes.
Irish public opinion has long leaned pro-Palestinian, and Irish lawmakers have repeatedly voiced concern over the scale of destruction in Gaza and the dire humanitarian situation.
Irish officials have not yet responded to The Algemeiner’s request for comment.
The post Key US Lawmaker Warns Ireland of Potential Economic Consequences for ‘Antisemitic Path’ Against Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Condemns Iran’s Suspension of IAEA Cooperation, Urges Europe to Reinstate UN Sanctions
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at a press conference in Berlin, Germany, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday condemned Iran’s decision to halt cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog and called on the international community to reinstate sanctions to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency),” Saar wrote in a post on X. “This is a complete renunciation of all its international nuclear obligations and commitments.”
Last week, the Iranian parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA “until the safety and security of [the country’s] nuclear activities can be guaranteed.”
“The IAEA and its Director-General are fully responsible for this sordid state of affairs,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X.
The top Iranian diplomat said this latest decision was “a direct result of [IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi’s] regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency — a full decade ago — already closed all past issues.
“Through this malign action,” Araghchi continued, “he directly facilitated the adoption of a politically-motivated resolution against Iran by the IAEA [Board of Governors] as well as the unlawful Israeli and US bombings of Iranian nuclear sites.”
The Parliament of Iran has voted for a halt to collaboration with the IAEA until the safety and security of our nuclear activities can be guaranteed.
This is a direct result of @rafaelmgrossi‘s regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency—a full decade ago—already…
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 27, 2025
On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a bill banning UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country until the Supreme National Security Council decides that there is no longer a threat to the safety of its nuclear sites.
In response, Saar urged European countries that were part of the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal to activate its “snapback” clause and reinstate all UN sanctions lifted under the agreement.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), this accord between Iran and several world powers imposed temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
During his first term, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reinstated unilateral sanctions on Iran.
“The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now! I call upon the E3 countries — Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!” Saar wrote in a post on X.
“The international community must act decisively now and utilize all means at its disposal to stop Iranian nuclear ambitions,” he continued.
The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now!
I call upon the E3 countries- Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!
Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy…— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 2, 2025
Saar’s latest remarks come after Araghchi met last week in Geneva with his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas — their first meeting since the Iran-Israel war began.
Europe is actively urging Iran to reengage in talks with the White House to prevent further escalation of tensions, but has yet to address the issue of reinstating sanctions.
Speaking during an official visit to Latvia on Tuesday, Saar said that “Operation Rising Lion” — Israel’s sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities — has “revealed the full extent of the Iranian regime’s threat to Israel, Europe, and the global order.”
“Iran deliberately targeted civilian population centers with its ballistic missiles,” Saar said at a press conference. “The same missile threat can reach Europe, including Latvia and the Baltic states.”
“Israel’s actions against the head of the snake in Iran contributed directly to the safety of Europe,” the Israeli top diplomat continued, adding that Israeli strikes have set back the Iranian nuclear program by many years.
The post Israel Condemns Iran’s Suspension of IAEA Cooperation, Urges Europe to Reinstate UN Sanctions first appeared on Algemeiner.com.