Macquarie University probes academic’s extremist anti-Israel comments
Macquarie University has launched an investigation into Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a sociology academic, following a series of incendiary social media posts that have prompted widespread condemnation and made students feel unsafe.
Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah Screenshot
Dr. Abdel-Fattah’s comments, which include calling for “the end of Israel” and accusing Israel of committing a Holocaust, have sparked outrage among Jewish community leaders and public figures.
In her posts, Dr. Abdel-Fattah wrote, “May 2025 be the end of Israel. May we see the abolishment of the death cult of Zionism, the end of the US empire, and finally a world where the slaughter, annihilation, and torture of Palestinians is no longer a daily routine.” She accused “Israeli Zionist demons” of “murdering, torturing, and raping with zero restraint” and called Zionism a “Palestinian slaughterhouse.” In another statement, she added, “To hell with you all. Every last Zionist. May you never know a second’s peace in your sadistic miserable lives.”
Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah has been the recipient of significant public funding for her academic work, including an $802,000 grant from the Australian Research Council to study Arab Muslim Australian social justice activism.
This is not the first time Dr. Abdel-Fattah has sparked controversy. In an interview with Sky News one week after October 7, she drew sharp criticism for refusing to condemn the massacre and stating, “I don’t see them [Hamas] as a terrorist organization.” This remark was widely condemned and added to the growing scrutiny of her public comments.
Jewish community leaders have expressed deep concern over her remarks. Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, criticized her as creating a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students. Speaking to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph he stated “She has created an unacceptable risk for the welfare and health of Jews and Israelis at the University. It is intolerable that our taxes are propping this up.” He called for the cancellation of public grants to Dr. Abdel-Fattah and an immediate review of her position at the university.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, Macquarie University confirmed that it is investigating the matter, citing its dual responsibilities to uphold lawful free speech and maintain a safe, inclusive environment for its community. “The University is aware of comments made on social media by a member of its staff that have caused concern and distress among some members of the community,” the university said in a statement. It noted that any breaches of policy would be addressed through its established disciplinary procedures.
Dr. Abdel-Fattah’s actions have also drawn condemnation for her involvement in organizing a children’s chant of anti-Israel slogans, such as “from the river to the sea,” during a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Sydney earlier this year. The incident led to an internal investigation and further amplified concerns about her influence in academic and public spaces.
Earlier this year Abdel-Fattah helped publicise a leaked list of Jews on a WhatsApp website with the justification that it was “to ensure that every space Zionists enter is culturally unsafe for them’.
