The University of Bern has unconditionally and immediately terminated the employment of a professor who expressed support for Hamas's attacks on Israel. An official investigation has been

initiated regarding the university's Institute of Near Eastern Studies, and the institute's director has been temporarily relieved of their duties.

This unprecedented case, which garnered significant public attention, involved contentious posts made by the professor on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The university condemned any form of violence or its endorsement, stating that these posts were unacceptable for the educational institution.

In one of the tweets, the professor allegedly stated that Hamas's attack was the best birthday gift they had received. In another post, they purportedly commented on a video of a Hamas attack with the words "Shabbat Shalom" ("Peace be upon the Sabbath"). As of now, these tweets have been deleted.

Christoph Pappa, the University of Bern's First Vice-Rector, informed the media that the professor's unconditional dismissal was due to their unacceptable behavior, which eroded the trust of the university's leadership.

As part of the investigation, the university's Institute of Near Eastern Studies will undergo an external independent audit. During this investigation, Serena Tolino, the institute's director, will be temporarily relieved of her responsibilities.

Currently, the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Bern is examining all the facts of this case to determine whether any criminal offense has occurred. According to the prosecutor's spokesperson, as of October 17, 2023, the investigation has not yet concluded. Photo by Marcel.photo, Wikimedia commons.