(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — The American University of Beirut has hired a professor whose anti-Israel Twitter posts led the University of Illinois to revoke a job offer last year.
Steven Salaita was offered a position as professor of American Indian Studies by the University of Illinois for fall 2014, but university officials rescinded the offer after citing a series of controversial tweets about Israel.
American University of Beirut spokeswoman Maha Al-Azar said Salaita was hired on Wednesday as the Edward Said Chair in American Studies.
Al-Azar added that Salaita was given a one-year appointment and will start Sept. 2.
Salaita, who is of Palestinian and Jordanian descent, said he was “thrilled” to accept the position. He said he learned that “Zionists get violently mad if a critic of Israel can earn a living.”
Since announcing my job I’ve learned 2 things: 1. love prevails 2. some Zionists get violently mad if a critic of Israel can earn a living
— Steven Salaita (@stevesalaita) July 2, 2015
Meanwhile, Salaita continues his legal battle against the University of Illinois for allegedly hiding meeting minutes and email correspondence of university staff who were involved in withdrawing his employment offer.
He is suing the university for allegedly breaching contract and intentional emotional distress. He’s also claiming they violated his constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and due process.
A Illinois judge recently ordered the university to turn over thousands of pages of emails under the Freedom of Information Act.
In response to the university’s actions last year, a group of over 40 Jewish faculty and students at the university signed a letter to the board of trustees saying, “Your decision to fire Professor Salaita is in fact what threatens us as Jews.”
The faculty said they were “in solidarity” with Salaita and added that there was a “growing number of Jewish perspectives that oppose Israeli military occupation…and the assault on Palestine.”
The university did not return our calls for comment. Media reports say the controversy allegedly escalated when university donors protested Salaita’s hiring.