University Professor Fired for Criticizing US-Israel Iran Policies

0:00It's April 3rd. This is Sydney News Today, your AI-powered local news. A University of Washington professor just got booted from leading the school's Middle East Center after sending out newsletters slamming the U.S. Israel's moves against Iran and calling Zionism cancerous. Arya Fani, an associate professor there, signed on for a three-year gig back in 2025 to handle programming and fundraising, but last. We kiss boss pulled the plug on that role. We still on the faculty payroll and taking medical leave this quarter, while the university sorts out admin duties. Fani's emails hit the center's list serve on March 18th, questioning Israel's goals and downplaying Iran's nuclear claims, plus earlier comments. To students about kids and scientists killed in strikes. Meanwhile, this fits a pattern with at least three similar cases last month, like Sheer and Saeedi at the University of Arkansas, who got fully fired as, head of their Middle East Center for backing Iran and Palestine on social media and official letterhead, even

1:03after faculty pushed to keep her. These moves come amid a big wave of crackdowns on pro-Palestinian voices at colleges since October 7th, 2023, wrapping up under the new administration. Groups like Palestine Legal reported 305 percent jump in faculty seeking help after discipline. In 37 cases in 20, 22 to 150 last year, Arab and Muslim academics are hit hardest, with over 500 discrimination complaints piling up at places like Harvard, sparking calls to, protect free speech, and rethink how schools handle these tensions.