A professor filed a lawsuit against a U.S. university over a remark about Hamas
Yasmin Hanoush, an Arabic language instructor at Portland University in the U.S. state of Oregon, has filed a lawsuit against the university and its president, Ann Cadd, seeking $7 million in damages. The lawsuit stems from a video recorded during an off-campus protest, in which the professor states: “I am Hamas. We are all Hamas.”
The video was recorded in June 2025; after it went viral, the university placed Khanush on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation. In the lawsuit, the professor claims that her words were a sarcastic response to a provocative question during an argument with pro-Israel demonstrators, and that the published video clip was taken out of context.
According to Hanush, she was speaking as a private citizen, was off campus, and did not express actual support for Hamas. She also claims that the university administration’s public response damaged her reputation and negatively impacted her academic career.
University President Ann Cadd called the remarks “absolutely unacceptable” after the video surfaced and stated that the university stands against anti-Semitism, terrorism, and hatred.
As noted in the lawsuit, the university’s internal investigation ultimately found no violation of university policies by Hanush, but concluded that her remarks had damaged the institution’s reputation. The professor also claims that the subsequent notification of her dismissal as part of staff cuts was a form of retaliation and discrimination based on her national origin and political views.
The university told local media that it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
Earlier in Norway, two men were arrested on suspicion of supplying weapons to Hamas.
