New York governor orders removal of Palestinian studies job

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered the City University of New York (CUNY) to remove a job posting for a Palestinian Studies professorship at Hunter College, prompting a backlash. The listing, which sought a scholar specialising in Palestine-related issues such as settler colonialism, human rights and migration, was taken down after Hochul’s office intervened, claiming it could promote “anti-Semitic theories”.

The faculty and staff union at CUNY, condemned the move in a letter to Hochul. “We strongly object to your removal of a job posting for a Palestinian Studies faculty position as a violation of academic freedom at Hunter College,” said the Professional Staff Congress. “We oppose anti-Semitism and all forms of hate, but this move is counterproductive. It is an overreach of authority to rule an entire area of academic study out of bounds.”

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The crackdown sparked a heated online debate about double standards on free speech. Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who has long criticised government and corporate censorship, described Hochul’s order as part of a growing trend of political suppression in the US.

“This is by far the most common form of censorship now in the US and, increasingly, in the west generally” said Greenwald on social media. “But since liberals have spent a decade cheerleading political censorship, and many on the Right have a huge Israel exception to their ‘principles,’ it’s largely ignored.”

This is by far the most common form of censorship now in the US and, increasingly, in the west generally.

But since liberals have spent a decade cheerleading political censorship, and many on the Right have a huge Israel exception to their “principles,” it’s largely ignored: https://t.co/cw05z0FImf

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 26, 2025

The controversy surrounding the Palestinian Studies position reflects a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian discourse in US academia, as documented in the Palestine Exception to Free Speech report by Palestine Legal. The report highlights how universities — often under pressure from pro-Israel lobby groups and political figures — have increasingly censored faculty, cancelled events and imposed restrictions on discussions critical of Israel. The removal of the Hunter College job posting follows a pattern in which allegations of anti-Semitism are used to silence legitimate academic inquiry into Palestinian history and rights.

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Hochul’s crackdown is the latest example of the increasing institutional repression of pro-Palestinian activism on US campuses. At CUNY, student government members are currently under investigation for their role in protests and support for boycotts of Israel, further highlighting how universities are becoming battlegrounds for political control over academic speech, where Israeli exception to free speech is most heated.