Antisemitism within the Kurdish Studies Network

Image courtesy of author

Since the onset of the tragic conflict on October 7, there has been a troubling resurgence of antisemitism across Europe, the United States, and other regions, particularly in Iran and Turkey. In some cases, antisemitic rhetoric appears to be leveraged by certain regimes like Iran and Turkey as a means of consolidating domestic political power. Simultaneously, various organizations and individuals—such as Iranian and Turkish non-governmental organizations (NGOs), migrant associations, mosques, and those affiliated with state-linked ideological structures in academia and the diaspora—have been involved in organizing or supporting rallies with antisemitic undertones. This environment has disproportionately targeted Jewish individuals, students, religious and commercial spaces, and academics within Western universities. In this context, antisemitism and anti-Jewish sentiments have increasingly taken on systemic dimensions, becoming mechanisms for exclusion and marginalization of those of Jewish heritage or individuals opposing such prejudices. Unfortunately, the Kurdish Studies Network (KSN) has also been impacted by these dynamics.

While many Kurdish academics and associations have expressed solidarity with the Jewish community amidst the recent rise in antisemitism, certain developments within the KSN deserve careful consideration. A subset of academics, including individuals from Turkish, Iranian, Arab, far-left Kurdish, and European backgrounds, has increasingly shaped discussions within the network. In some instances, this influence has aligned the platform with narratives resonating with antisemitic rhetoric linked to Turkish and Iranian state agendas. Such shifts risk diverting attention from the Kurdish cause, particularly in regions like Rojava, where Kurdish and other multiethnic and multireligious communities face significant threats, including the possibility of genocide. It remains essential for academic and advocacy platforms to uphold inclusivity and maintain a commitment to principles of justice and solidarity. While seeking to influence the structures of the KSN with agendas promoting antisemitism and dogmatic, intolerant, and utopian ideals that risk alienating Kurds from their core values and cause, this subgroup of academics has employed various tactics to marginalize Kurdish academics and their Jewish colleagues.

My own experiences have also brought me into direct contact with this group’s antisemitic and anti-Kurdish aspirations. Since 2021, as a German research fellow of Kurdish origin, I have been engaged in research on the Jewish community from Kurdistan in Jerusalem. However, following the events of October 7, I have encountered numerous instances of degrading remarks, insults, and antisemitic attitudes within academic environments, including conferences and responses to my scholarly work. For instance, an Iranian scholar declined to participate in a conference organized by the Kurdish Institute of Paris to avoid engaging with me. Similarly, during the Kurdish Studies Conference in Sheffield, a scholar from Turkey refused to shake my hand, accusing me of being affiliated with a so-called “Zionist institution,” namely the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which he alleged was complicit in acts of “genocide.” In addition to these interpersonal encounters, I have faced significant obstacles in publishing my research. A journal with a predominantly Turkish and Arab editorial board rejected my article after I had undertaken extensive revisions, without providing the reviewers’ reports or responding to my repeated requests for clarification. Based on accounts from Israeli colleagues who have had similar experiences with rejections tied to their institutional affiliations, I suspect that my affiliation with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem may have influenced the editorial decision. Despite raising my concerns with the journal’s editors, I received no response to address or resolve the issue.

Most recently, I experienced a deeply troubling and distressing incident within the KSN, involving a group of individuals, predominantly of Turkish and Iranian nationalities, which culminated in my removal from the mailing list by a self-appointed administrator. This expulsion was carried out in a confrontational and abrupt manner after I shared information about an academic event titled “Israel and Minoritized Communities in Post-Assad Syria.” Organized by the Department of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, the event aimed to shed light on Israel’s policies in relation to the challenges faced by marginalized groups in the region, including the Kurdish, Yezidi, Alawites, Druze, and Assyrian communities in Syria. Unfortunately, the reactions to my post on the KSN mailing list were not only dismissive but also marked by antisemitic and anti-Kurdish undertones. In particular, a Dutch journalist and KSN member publicly raised objections to the event, asserting that “all Israeli universities are complicit in the oppression of Palestinians and the genocide unfolding in Gaza.” While such statements may reflect personal opinions, I found them factually unsubstantiated and troublingly antisemitic because the Israeli universities and academics have always been critical of the ongoing conflict.

Furthermore, they detracted from the focus on the event’s core themes, which were directly relevant to the Kurdish and other marginalized communities. The journalist also claimed to have contacted one of the event’s speakers to pressure him into withdrawing, effectively advocating for a boycott. In response, I expressed my concern that this behavior imposed a singular perspective on KSN members, undermined academic freedom, and exerted undue pressure on the speaker’s right to express his views. Moreover, I highlighted that such rhetoric shifted the focus away from the critical issues facing the Kurdish community, particularly the existential threats to Kurds in Rojava, and instead overshadowed them with broader debates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This shift risks marginalizing the Kurdish cause, which directly impacts over 50 million people, at a time when the community is facing the imminent danger of genocide.

An activist of Iranian nationality within the KSN sent an email claiming that the “Israeli speaker on the panel is not only a research fellow but also a major in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).” The individual alleged that this speaker had directly participated in Israel’s actions, which they described as “genocidal,” rather than simply engaging in “the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.” However, this accusation was supported by little more than a TikTok video in which the speaker described Hamas’s use of civilians as human shields. I requested clarification and evidence regarding whether the source of this claim was aligned with the Iranian intelligence narrative, which tends to make unfounded allegations against Jewish individuals in Israel. In response, the activist presented a distorted and inaccurate interpretation of my inquiry, accusing me of alleging their involvement in Iranian espionage. Regrettably, my attempt to seek clarification was misinterpreted, and the individual claimed to have been falsely accused, despite no such accusation having been made. The fabricated narrative surrounding my actions was swiftly embraced by a small, yet vocal, group of scholars with Turkish, Iranian, far-left Kurdish, and European backgrounds. This group, which has been actively engaged in the KSN, sent emails containing serious insults and threats. Some of their correspondence included overtly antisemitic and anti-Kurdish sentiments. For instance, one member made derogatory comments about myself and other Kurds, claiming that we “like the taste of Israeli boots.” Such remarks underscore the dehumanizing tactics used by certain individuals from Turkish, Iranian, and pan-Arab circles to demean Kurdish people and their interactions with the Jewish community. I was deeply distressed by a scholar publicly dehumanizing both myself and my ethnic community. Unfortunately, this type of hostile rhetoric is part of a broader trend within some academic circles where individuals who oppose antisemitism are vilified.

Moreover, the non-academic KSN administrator, who appears to be affiliated with this group, ignored these antisemitic and anti-Kurdish comments. In response to my stance against antisemitism and my efforts to share information about the event, the administrator, in collaboration with others, took the step of suspending my email access and blocking my communication entirely. This action was part of a coordinated effort to remove me from the network, driven by my association with an Israeli institution and my outspoken opposition to antisemitism. My removal from the KSN mailing list was executed in a covert manner, preventing me from defending myself or clarifying my position. During this time, I was the subject of over 100 emails, many of which were degrading and threatening, while my access to the mailing list was suspended, leaving me unable to respond. This suspension created a significant sense of isolation, amplifying my feelings of powerlessness. Several colleagues within the KSN appealed to the administrator to reconsider his decision and reinstate my access, providing me with the opportunity to respond to the insults and false allegations directed at me. However, these appeals were denied. The administrator justified his decision by citing “long-term observation” and the opinion of “another member,” despite the fact that the decision had already been made in advance, following the fabrication of a narrative.

The administrator’s actions, including denying me the opportunity to clarify my position and severing my connections with academic colleagues, were not only excessively hostile but have caused me considerable emotional distress, with lasting effects on my personal and professional life. This situation transcends issues of academic freedom, as it reflects a deliberate and harmful effort to inflict mental and emotional suffering due to my stance against antisemitism. Moreover, the administrator has already removed several other colleagues with Jewish affiliations from the mailing list, causing significant distress and undermining their ability to collaborate with Kurdish scholars in fostering independent and emancipatory knowledge free from Turkish and Iranian state influence. Despite this, the same administrator allowed expressions of antisemitism to go unchecked, which raises serious concerns about the administrator’s implicit tolerance of such behavior. This selective enforcement of norms could be interpreted as a form of disguised antisemitism.

The hostile environment created within the KSN has also increased my concerns about the safety of both my family and myself. The vitriol directed at me through KSN discussions, which has escalated to the point of public targeting, has heightened my fear of potential repercussions, particularly from elements associated with the Turkish and Iranian regimes. I am deeply concerned about the personal risks posed by the ongoing hostile rhetoric and its implications for my safety and well-being. The anti-Semitic insults directed at me were clearly motivated by my affiliation with an Israeli institution, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as my steadfast opposition to antisemitism, racism, and all forms of discrimination. These themes are central to my research on Israel, reflected in numerous short pieces and academic papers I have published. I have consistently declared my unwavering solidarity with the Jewish people, who have faced systematic attacks and persecution, particularly from Iranian, Turkish, and Hamas forces. I remain resolute in my opposition to these hateful ideologies. Additionally, I have publicly acknowledged the humanitarian tragedies affecting both Jewish and Palestinian communities and have expressed my hope for the return of hostages and a long-term ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of all parties involved.

The KSN was established in 2009 with the aim of fostering free expression, knowledge dissemination, and intellectual exchange. However, a faction of scholars, journalists, and activists with Turkish, Iranian, some European, and even far-left Kurdish backgrounds has come to dominate the KSN’s agendas and structures. This group has used the platform to advance antisemitic and anti-Kurdish narratives, pushing away scholars from the oppressed Kurdish community and exploiting the academic space to prioritize the Palestinian cause. They have actively condemned and expelled those who support the Kurdish-Jewish relationship. The non-academic administrator has played a key role in facilitating this agenda, acting as a collaborator in silencing Kurdish scholars and their Jewish colleagues who oppose anti-Semitism. The behavior I have encountered within the KSN is not merely a personal attack but part of a broader pattern in which academic Kurdish spaces are manipulated for political purposes aligned with non-Kurdish interests.

This exploitation damages not only my own academic standing but also undermines the integrity and mission of the Kurdish Studies Network. What was once a forum for scholarly discourse has been hijacked by pan-Arabist, Iranian, and Turkish extremists who use it to foster division and spread hatred, particularly toward Jewish people and their allies. It is crucial to resist this manipulation and safeguard the integrity of academic Kurdish spaces from such divisive influences. While I reject being manipulated by scholars with Turkish, Iranian, Arab, and European nationalities who seek to advance colonial ambitions at the expense of Kurdish and other indigenous communities, I firmly advocate for collaboration between indigenous Kurdish and Jewish communities, as well as European scholars. Such collaboration can help produce original, emancipatory knowledge in response to the colonial actions of Turkish and Iranian states. In this context, I call on Jewish and Kurdish scholars to reflect on these challenges and to work together on a decolonizing platform, free from the adverse influence of colonizing scholars, while upholding the values of academic integrity, freedom of expression, and solidarity with marginalized and oppressed groups.