NYU Event to Feature Former Columbia Professor Who Praised Hamas and Called for “Jihad"
Mohamed Abdou, who publicly expressed support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is scheduled to speak at an April 21 event promoted as an NYU tour stop
A ‘Death to the Akademy’ tour stop featuring Mohamed Abdou is being advertised for April 21 at NYU as being ‘graciously hosted by student & community organizers,’ nearly two years after his disputed departure from Columbia University amid controversy over public statements in support of U.S.-designated terror groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
During an April 17, 2024 congressional hearing, Columbia President Minouche Shafik said Abdou had been ‘terminated’ and would ‘never work at Columbia again,’ though Abdou later disputed that characterization and said his contract was simply ending. The announcement comes weeks after video clips from a March 2026 event circulated online showing Abdou saying, ‘Let us engage in jihad,’ and praising Elias Rodriguez, who is charged in the May 21, 2025 fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington.
Student organizers promoting the NYU gathering have incorporated imagery and messaging associated with designated terror organizations. The promotional materials feature photographs of armed individuals wearing headbands similar to those worn by Hamas operatives, the PFLP, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, paired with text stating “together we will win.” The promotion also displays the inverted red triangle symbol used by Hamas in propaganda materials to mark target locations.
The event description indicates the gathering will examine developments in campus activism following October 7, and discuss strategies for how “student and community organizers” can advance efforts to “topple Euro-Amerikan empire where they are.”
Columbia’s Controversial Hiring and Disputed Exit
Abdou joined Columbia University as the Arcapita Visiting Professor in Modern Arab Studies in January 2024, just days after publicly declaring his support for Hamas and designated terror organizations in an interview with the socialist podcast Revolutionary Left Radio.
“Yes, I’m with the muqawamah (the resistance) be it Hamas and Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad,” Abdou wrote in an October 11, 2023 Facebook post, just days after the October 7 terror attack. He reiterated this position repeatedly over the following months, including in January 2024, stating: “I might be with Hamas and support the resistance, absolutely … Look what 1,500 did … they were organized and they worked in stealth mode.”
During his tenure at Columbia, Abdou participated in encampment protests and taught courses on “Decolonial-Queerness & Abolition.” He became a prominent figure in the university’s anti-Israel activist circles, publishing posts encouraging students to “ORGANIZE revolutionary alternatives to capitalism” and move beyond “just go to Pro-Palestinian rallies” or “just post on social media.”
Shafik announced during the April 2024 congressional hearing that Abdou had been “terminated” and would “never work at Columbia again.” However, the characterization remained disputed. Abdou claimed his contract was not renewed but he had not been fired, while the university’s framing suggested otherwise. Abdou subsequently filed a lawsuit against Columbia and Shafik alleging defamation. The Free Beacon reported that Abdou was spotted in Columbia’s unsanctioned “Gaza Solidarity” encampment before his exit at the end of the spring 2024 semester.
Recent Rhetoric at Union Theological Seminary Event
In March 2026, Abdou appeared at an online event titled “Death to the Akademy: How to be a thorn in their throat amidst snakes in the grass” co-hosted by Union Theological Seminary students and Queer Muslims of New York City. Video documentation of his remarks shows Abdou calling for violent action.
“Let us engage in jihad, and there are rules for jihad, and Muslims know that Allah has commanded rules. We don’t engage in wanton violence, but we don’t accept the negative peace either,” Abdou stated during the event.
He also praised Elias Rodriguez, who faces charges for murdering two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington, D.C. in 2025. “God bless him. He took action. … Take action. Not only that kind of action, just to be very clear, because there’s also building. We need to destroy. We need to create alternatives,” Abdou said.
Union Theological Seminary President Serene Jones condemned the remarks in a statement after the event occurred, stating administrators were "not aware of the violent nature of the event" when authorizing it. "When we became aware, we withdrew our support," Jones stated.
NYU Event Proceeds With Terror Iconography
Despite the recent controversy at Union Theological Seminary, organizers are moving forward with the April 21 NYU event. The promotional material shared by student groups explicitly incorporates terror organization symbolism and language consistent with Abdou’s previous public statements endorsing “violent resistance” frameworks.
Abdou’s social media biography identifies him as a “Student of the Muqawama”—muqawama being Arabic for “resistance.” His profile features the red triangle symbol prominently and an image of Hamas fighters.
Jewish Onliner reached out to NYU for comment and did not receive an immediate response.