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Manila Bulletin devider World devider Swiss university suspends lecturer over Hamas comments

Swiss university suspends lecturer over Hamas comments

Published Oct 11, 2023 11:37 pm

GENEVA, Switzerland - A Swiss university has suspended a lecturer who commented positively online about the unprecedented Hamas attacks that left 1,200 people dead in Israel and unleashed a new war.

The comments posted on X, formerly Twitter, were "unacceptable", the University of Bern told the Keystone-ATS news agency.

The two offending messages have since been deleted but, according to reports, one hailed the Hamas attacks as the best birthday present anyone could ever receive, while the other ironized that the attacks took place on Saturday, the Jewish day of rest.

The lecturer has been suspended "after a thorough evaluation of the situation, with immediate effect", the university said.

The comments, by the unnamed lecturer, were also being examined by the Swiss authorities for possible violation of the law.

The sanctioned employee told 20 Minuten: "I have always strongly criticised violence against civilians and attacks on Jews."

"For ideological reasons, I fundamentally reject the policies of Hamas and similar groups," he added in a brief reaction given to the newspaper, which did not name him.

 



 

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