Prof who denies Hamas raped Israelis NOT selected for top DEI role

A University of Minnesota professor who denied that Hamas committed rape against Israeli women during the Oct. 7 attacks has ultimately not received a leading administrative DEI position.

Sima Shakhsari made the comments before a panel during the interview process for an associate dean position at the College of Liberal Arts’ Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Shakhsari is an associate professor in the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies department. 

[RELATED: Students at elite universities call for ‘intifada revolution’]

“Of course, any person who has been raped, I am a rape crisis counselor, I believe the survivors,” Shakhsari said to the panel, according to Jewish Insider. “I am yet to see Israeli rape survivors of Hamas come and speak.”

According to investigators, Hamas committed “widespread” sexual crimes during its recent massacre of Israelis.

A video recording of Shakhsari’s remarks before the panel has since been removed from the university’s website.

In an email to Campus Reform, Andria Waclawski, director of public relations at Minnesota, said that Amelious Whyte has received the position; He will take over the role starting on Jan. 11.

In the interview process, Shakhsari also suggested that the accusations that Hamas committed rape are similar to lynchings of black men in the United States because they were accused of raping white women. “We know the history of lynching, of black man, lynching, of indigenous man lynching Latinos in this country… because of accusations and they’re kind of violating the innocence of white women, right?,” she said.

“And I think that is also this force that is repeated in the context of Israel and Palestine, because Arab men have been demonized and have been marked as monstrous people who are rapists and for violence,” she continued. 

[RELATED: Harvard students call to ‘globalize the intifada’ during anti-Israel ‘week of action’]

According to the Jewish Insider’s reporting, Shakhsari has been seen at rallies on campus chanting “Globalize the Intifada.” The Arabic word “intifada” means “uprising,” often used in reference to a violent uprising against Israel.

During the panel meeting, Shakhsari used the word “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions. “I cannot be silenced in the face of this genocide, and I’m not gonna argue whether it’s a genocide or not,” she said. 

In an automatic email response to Campus Reform’s request for comment, Shakhsari wrote that she stands “with the people of Palestine in their struggle for freedom and justice” and condemns “the Israeli state’s settler colonial violence and genocide in Gaza.”

Campus Reform also contacted the university for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.