College and University Monitor

A tenured Columbia University professor endorsed terrorism in a speech given at the Palestine Center earlier this month.

“The Oslo Accords inaugurated this process of liquidating the Palestinian national struggle while the ‘Deal of the Century’ plans and hopes to conclude it,” Professor Joseph Massad said. “The only thing standing in its way is the ongoing Palestinian resistance to Israeli settler colonialism and racism that continues inside Israel and Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza; the ongoing Marches of Return in Gaza; and the armed resistance of the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades to Israeli invasions in Gaza.”

The al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of Hamas, which is a US-designated terrorist organization. It has killed more than 650 civilians, but according to Massad, Israel’s “settler-colonialism” justifies al-Qassam’s actions. In reality, most conflicts between Hamas and Israel are triggered by Hamas indiscriminately firing rockets into Israel.

While people on both sides of the conflict criticize Oslo, Massad’s speech mischaracterized its goal of taking steps toward a peaceful, two-state solution. In his eyes, “The establishment of the Israeli settler colony resulted in the usurpation of all of historic Palestine,” meaning Israel has no right to exist....