Kate Anderson on January 30, 2023
NEW YORK, NY – StopAntisemitism reports that NYU student Naye Idriss is under investigation after she wrote “Free Palestine” and “Fuck” on a mail bag at the NYU Elmer Holmes Bobst library.
In accordance with SA, a nonprofit antisemitism watchdog, Idriss is from Lebanon and is a graduate of Columbia University. She is currently studying at NYU’s Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies. In the library where Idriss worked as an Arabic translator, NYU opened an investigation after she wrote “Free Palestine” and “Fuck” above the word Israel on an Israeli mailbag.
SA announced the investigation on Twitter showing pictures of the vandalism and Idriss wearing an “Anti-Zionist Vibes Only” shirt.
Idriss explained that the bag was in the recycling bin after items from an Israeli vendor had been removed and because of that she “didn’t think twice about it.”
After the university started a formal investigation in late 2022, Palestinian Legal, a law firm that aims to “bolster the Palestine solidarity movement by challenging efforts to threaten, harass and legally bully activists into silence and inaction,” agreed to represent Idriss, according to The Electronic Intifada.
After the university allegedly chose not to rehire her as a translator, Idriss filed a complaint earlier this month against the school through her union for discriminating against her, according to The Electronic Intifada. Idriss and her attorney argued that NYU’s decision was “very troubling” and that Idriss was the “only one not rehired.”
Dylan Saba, Idriss’ attorney, claimed that the university discriminated against Idriss because she was of Arab descent, according to The Electronic Intifada. He also said the vandalism charge would not have been an issue if it did not pertain to an “anti-Israel message.”
Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that SA was pleased that NYU was “taking this seriously.”
“The University, which earned an F in our 2022 report on Antisemitism on U.S. Colleges and Universities, recently settled a Title VI complaint that the University was discriminatory towards Jewish students for its lack of action against antisemitic incidents on campus,” Rez said. “Pursuing an investigation of this antisemitic act and holding the student accountable is a step in the right direction.”
NYU and Palestinian Legal did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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