(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 5/7/25) — The Philadelphia chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned majority members of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce for their unjustified targeting of faculty and students at Haverford College based on false and politically-motivated allegations of antisemitism.
In recent hearings, several members of the Committee have issued inflammatory remarks and misleading accusations against Haverford faculty and student organizations who have engaged in peaceful advocacy related to Palestinian human rights. These accusations distort the distinction between legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies and actual antisemitic rhetoric or behavior.
CAIR-Philadelphia said it strongly rejects all forms of antisemitism and stands firmly against hate directed at individuals because of their faith. However, conflating criticism of a foreign government with hatred of a people or religion is not only intellectually dishonest — it is dangerous. It silences legitimate political discourse, chills academic freedom, and contributes to an atmosphere of fear and repression on college campuses.
“Let us be clear: opposing racial apartheid, occupation, genocide, and war crimes is not antisemitic,” said Dr. Ahmet Tekelioglu, Executive Director of CAIR-Philadelphia. “The weaponization of antisemitism to attack student activists and professors engaging in peaceful advocacy is a disservice to the real fight against bigotry. We urge members of Congress to stop politicizing these issues and instead support the principles of free expression, academic integrity, and equal rights for all. We also urge Haverford College leadership to lend an ear to the majority of campus audience that has denounced this hearing and the intentions behind it. Haverford College must vigorously defend its faculty and students against outside political pressure and reaffirm its commitment to academic freedom and open dialogue.”
SEE: Jewish Faculty Decry Republican Panel Members Ahead of Antisemitism Hearing
He said CAIR-Philadelphia calls on the House Committee majority to immediately cease its smear campaign against Haverford College and other academic institutions and to focus instead on protecting the rights of all students — including Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students—who are increasingly facing harassment and intimidation for speaking out against injustice.
Washington, D.C., CAIR recently launched its “Unhostile Campus Campaign” aimed at fostering a campus environment in which Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, faculty, and staff opposing the genocide in Gaza enjoy free speech and academic freedom and are not subjected to state force or university discipline due to their viewpoints.
Institutions of particular concern may be found at: https://islamophobia.org/category/hostile-campuses/
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, PhD; 617-401-5397 (mobile), atekelioglu@cair.com.
