MEF Dispatch: Hamas's Family Affair at Georgetown, Qatar's Support for Campus Antisemitism, and First Steps in Reforming Gaza

MEF Dispatch: Hamas's Family Affair at Georgetown, Qatar's Support for Campus Antisemitism, and Qatar's Roadblock to Reforming Gaza

By Winfield Myers ● Mar 10, 2025

Smart Brevity® count: 5.5 mins...1452 words

Three articles analyze the latest news from academe—none of it good. We report that Georgetown University, long a hive of pro-Islamist activism and “scholarship,” now hosts the daughter of a Hamas official and her husband, a Hamas apologist. This as Qatar’s grip on American universities continues unabated, while Islamist extremism is so ensconced in some Canadian colleges it has become the norm.

What to do about Gaza? Whichever plan is favored, unless Qatar’s propaganda outlet Al Jazeera is reined in, don’t expect the Arab states to support it lest they risk being undermined by AJ’s incendiary narratives. More: avoid Egypt’s Gaza plan at all costs. We end on a sad but hopeful note on defeating the Hamas death cult.

Spring MEQ Advocates Taking the Iranian Nuclear Bull by the Horns

The Spring 2025 issue of Middle East Quarterly analyzes urgent regional challenges, from Iran’s nuclear threat to Hamas’s propaganda, Egypt’s economic struggles, and Biden’s shifting stance on Israel. It also features reviews of books on authoritarianism and jihadism.

Highlights include Colin Winston’s call for a U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, Andrew Fox and Tania Glezer’s exposé on Hamas’s media tactics, and Nael Shama’s warning on Egypt’s aid dependence. Daniel Samet examines Biden’s evolving Israel policy, while book reviews explore radicalism’s impact on global stability.

To read the full issue, click here.

For Georgetown Univ. Couple, Terror-Ties Are a Family Affair

Mapheze Ahmad Yousef Saleh, daughter of a senior Hamas official, and her husband, Badar Khan Suri, are entrenched in Georgetown University, raising serious concerns.

Why it matters: Georgetown is under fire for harboring individuals with direct links to Hamas, demonstrating its lack of academic integrity and its willingness to harbor terrorist-supporting individuals.

Suri, a post-doctoral fellow, openly supports Hamas and spreads its propaganda under the guise of academic freedom.

The presence of such figures at a top U.S. university threatens to indoctrinate future leaders with extremist ideologies and lends a veneer of legitimacy to apologists for terrorism.

The big picture: The Middle East Forum exposes Georgetown's systemic issue of welcoming extremist views.

A report this spring will will reveal Georgetown’s connections to hostile foreign states and a powerful domestic extremist network.

What's next: Georgetown faces a pivotal decision: cut ties with those spreading dangerous ideologies or stand by as its reputation, already in tatters, is completely shredded.

MEF and others will scrutinize the university's actions and demand accountability.

To read the full article, click here.

Middle East Forum 2025 Policy Conference – additional speakers announced, discounted tickets!

Join us at the Middle East Forum’s 2025 Policy Conference, taking place May 19–21 in Washington, D.C. Statecraft Reimagined will gather leading experts, diplomats, and policymakers to discuss the most urgent and complex issues shaping the future of the Middle East.

This extraordinary event is poised to be the premier Middle East policy gathering in D.C. this year, offering unparalleled insights, networking, and strategic guidance.

We are also pleased to announce that, thanks to a generous contribution from an anonymous donor, we are able to offer a select number of general admission tickets at a discounted rate of $550. These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to get yours now.

To register, click here.

Qatar’s Grip on Education Is Causing an Explosion of Campus Antisemitism

The dramatic rise of antisemitism in U.S. universities is due in part to Qatar's massive influence campaign aimed at spreading anti-Israel, pro-Hamas beliefs to American students.

Why it matters: Qatar's financial ties to American universities, including Georgetown, Harvard, and Northwestern, have turned campuses into breeding grounds for extremist ideologies.

Over $6 billion has been funneled into U.S. academia in the last decade alone, manipulating curricula and promoting a pro-Hamas narrative.

The big picture: Qatar's influence extends beyond universities, reaching K-12 education through the Qatar Foundation International.

This Trojan horse introduces anti-Western, pro-Islamist perspectives in order to indoctrinate American children under the guise of language education.

What's next: A bipartisan bill in Congress aims to ban funding from countries that support terrorism, a crucial step in restoring academic integrity.

Universities must be examined carefully for their foreign financial ties and be held accountable for their complicity in spreading Islamist narratives.

To read the full article, click here.

Canadian Universities Normalize Islamist Extremism

In the wake of Hamas's attacks on Israel, Canadian campuses have become hotbeds of antisemitism and radical ideologies.

Why it matters: The normalization of terrorism on campuses endangers national security.

Jewish students face increasing hostility, violence, and a compromised academic environment.

The big picture: Schools including the University of Quebec in Montreal and Simon Fraser are platforms for extremist narratives.

Events glorifying terrorism reflect a trend of radicalization, undermining Canadian values.

What's next: University administrators, provincial governments, and law enforcement agencies must act to prevent the spread of extremism on campuses.

Failure to act would risk allowing Canadian universities to become breeding grounds for the ideologies that threaten the West’s security and values.

To read the full article, click here.

Trump’s Plan vs. Qatari Power

President Trump's proposal to transform Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East" faces a major hurdle: Qatar's media empire.

Why it matters: Qatar's Al Jazeera undermines Arab leaders who might support a U.S.-led Gaza reconstruction by casting them as traitors.

This media influence deters Arab states from aligning with Trump's vision, risking backlash and unrest fueled by incendiary narratives.

The big picture: Qatar's dual role as a U.S. ally and supporter of Islamist groups complicates Middle Eastern diplomacy.

Doha hosts U.S. military bases while funding networks that promote extremism, creating a precarious balance.

What's next: For Trump's plan to succeed, the U.S. must hold Qatar accountable for its propaganda machine.

Absent such action, any talk of radical change in Gaza will only feed the region’s vicious cycle, wherein politicians float grand ideas, Qatari media tears them down, and the Palestinians remain in tragic limbo.

To read the full article, click here.

Egypt’s Gaza Plan: A Deadly Trap for Israel and the U.S.

The latest Arab summit in Cairo has unveiled a deceptive plan that poses a grave threat to Israel's security and undermines U.S. strategic interests.

Why it matters: The Egyptian initiative strengthens Hamas, ensuring it remains armed and capable of future attacks.

Arab leaders continue to manipulate the Palestinian issue for political gain, not for peace.

The big picture: The plan allows Hamas to maintain its military wing under the guise of an "interim government," preserving its power.

Arab states have long supported Hamas, with countries like Qatar funneling millions annually.

What's next: The U.S. must insist that Hamas is removed from power, its ability to wage war is permanently dismantled, and foreign funding to terror groups is banned.

A security-focused approach is essential that prioritizes Israeli defense and the eradication of terrorism.

To read the full article, click here.

Israel Shows the Civilization of Life Can Conquer Hamas’s Death Cult

The intentional celebration of violence reveals a disturbing global pattern from Congo to Gaza.

Why it matters: The Israeli journalist Myriam Schermer found the most appropriate words about the Bibas family on the day of their burial in Israel: Their murder “was a Black Mass.”

Black Mass: a conscious adherence to an abomination. Not to a mistaken vision of good, but a deliberate and religious celebration of evil.

Terrorists flaunt their atrocities, using them as propaganda to perpetuate further violence.

The big picture: Support for the jihadist Palestinian Arab cause has completely thrown the West off its moral compass.

The glorification of terror echoes medieval or even ancient prototypes, threatening to unravel societal values.

What's next: Only a resolute stand by Israelis and others can counter this "culture of death" with a message of life and morality.

The West must reclaim its moral authority to combat the normalization of such atrocities and prevent further moral decay.

To read the full article, click here.

Further Reading:

“Turkey Tries to Gather Intelligence on Critics Using Loopholes in U.S. Judicial System”
By: Abdullah Bozkurt
Erdoğan’s government is manipulating the U.S. legal system to spy on and harass its critics.

“Can the West Stop Iran’s Hostage-Taking Business?”
By: Babak Taghvaee
When the Iranian regime pays a price in isolation, the cost of its hostage diplomacy will exceed the payoff.

“What if Russia’s Narrative Gains Legitimacy?”
By: Loqman Radpey
What is being decided is not just the fate of Ukraine, but the future of the global order itself.

Academe continues its decline; Qatar’s trouble-making never seems to end. But without understanding the causes of these problems, pushback is impossible and solutions will never be found. MEF is working round-the-clock on these and other issues, and thanks to your support, we’re making headway. We’ll return soon with more news and analysis.

Sincerely,

Winfield Myers
Managing Editor, Middle East Forum
Director, Campus Watch

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