MESA Reports 76 Job Terminations Linked to Support for Palestinian Rights in US, Canada

DID Press: Middle East Studies Association (MESA) says 76 cases of job termination have been recorded among higher education employees in the United States and Canada in connection with expressions of support for Palestinian rights since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

In a report released on October 8, MESA’s Academic Freedom Initiative documented 196 incidents of workplace retaliation involving higher education employees between October 7, 2023, and August 20, 2026. Of those cases, 76 resulted in termination, according to the association.

The report says the recorded incidents extended beyond dismissals to include disciplinary investigations, professional restrictions and other forms of action against academic staff.

Based on its analysis of the cases and interviews with 31 affected employees, MESA said the reported retaliation involved different categories of university workers, including tenured faculty members, non-tenure-track instructors and other higher education employees.

According to the association, the incidents were linked to Palestine-related speech and advocacy, including campus protests and other public expressions of support for Palestinian rights. The findings raise concerns about freedom of expression and academic freedom at universities in the United States and Canada.