Who is Zareena Grewal? Under-fire Yale professor gets support from Internet after pro-Palestine post Zareena Grewal, a Yale professor specializing in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration, has received online support following calls for her dismissal due to a pro-Palestine tweet in which she described Israel as a ‘murderous, genocidal settler state.’ Grewal’s initial tweet was posted on October 7, shortly after Hamas initiated a significant surprise attack on Israel. Israel’s defense was caught by surprise as the Palestinian militant organization launched nearly 2,000 missiles and carried out dozens of ground attacks, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 1,200 lives and leaving another 2,600 with severe injuries.
During the ongoing conflict, Grewal posted a series of pro-Palestine tweets, expressing her opposition to the Israeli government. In her university biography, Grewal is characterized as a “historical anthropologist and documentary filmmaker whose research explores topics of race, gender, religion, nationalism, and transnationalism within various American Muslim communities.” The professor has authored multiple research books that delve into subjects such as race, gender, religion, nationalism, and transnationalism. Her initial book is characterized as “an ethnographic study of transnational Muslim networks connecting US mosques with Islamic movements in the post-colonial Middle East, exploring discussions about the reformation of Islam.”
Who is Zareena Grewal?
Grewal’s initial post was made on October 9 when she characterized Israel as a violent nation. She stated, “My heart is heavy. I offer my prayers for Palestinians. Israel is a state marked by violence and genocide, established by settlers, and Palestinians have every legitimate reason to engage in armed resistance and seek solidarity. #FreePalestine,” as reported by the Daily Mail. The professor tweeted in response to a post by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a few days later when the severity of the Hamas attacks had become more evident, stating, “There is no government anywhere in the world as genocidal as this colonial settler state.”
Furthermore, she recently shared posts that asserted the Middle Eastern nation had a “ferocious thirst for blood” and suggested that those who support the Jewish state might have been seen as supporting oppressors during historical rebellions. She also retweeted a news report about the deadly Hamas attacks on October 8 with the comment, “It has been an extraordinary day!”
A petition calling for the termination of Zareena Grewal’s employment at Yale University was initiated by a student on change.org. The petition aimed to gather 15,000 signatures and has already received nearly 11,000 signatures. The petition stated, “She has unequivocally demonstrated that she is not fit for her current role or in the field of education if she considers war crimes against civilians as acts of resistance.” After the petition for Grewal’s termination gained traction on social media, several individuals expressed their support for the Yale professor.
One user commented, “I may not agree with what she says, but we do have freedom of speech in this country. If you don’t like what she has to say, just don’t listen to her, but don’t try to prevent others from hearing her.” “Supporting Hamas is not the same as supporting the Palestinians who have endured hardships. Please do not conflate the two,” another user clarified. Someone else stated, “What the heck! She may not be wrong; she is speaking the truth.” Another user pointed out, “It appears she supported the Palestinians and not Hamas. These are two distinct entities.”
