CUNY faculty member said that “Muslims will erase this filth called Israel” in sermon

An adjunct professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) has said in a sermon that “Muslims will erase this filth called Israel”, it was reported earlier this week.

The sermon was given by Mohammed Abbasi on 25th June at the Islamic Center of Union County in New Jersey. In it, he spoke extensively about how the “Children of Israel” have enacted “corruption” onto the world.

Mr Abbasi seemingly ended the sermon by saying: “Here’s the conclusion, I don’t want to leave you depressed. I want to give you the good news now. With the help of Allah, [Muslims] will erase this filth called Israel.”

New York Congressman Lee Zeldin condemned Mr Abbasi’s sermon and called for his dismissal, saying: “At a time when antisemitic violence is on the rise throughout the United States, no one, especially someone charged with educating young adults, should be further fanning the flames of antisemitism like this and endorsing violence against Israel.

“As we saw last month, the CUNY faculty has an antisemitism problem, and this is just another example. Mohammad Abbasi and his hateful anti-Jewish and anti-Israel rhetoric have absolutely no place in any American classroom, and we cannot afford to have him brainwashing any students with his antisemitism. He must be fired immediately, and CUNY needs to take thorough measures to purge antisemitism from the ranks of its faculty.”

Earlier this year, CUNY students rejected the prospective adoption of the International Definition of Antisemitism. At the end of a contentious five-hour debate, however, the Student Senate of CUNY also rejected a resolution which asserted that equating opposition to Israel with antisemitism was “a form of anti-Palestinian racism.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.