The American University of Beirut has hired a professor who had a job offer rescinded last year from the University of Illinois for posting anti-Israel tweets.
“I'm thrilled to announce that I will serve as the Edward W. Said Chair of American Studies at AUB for the 2015-16 academic year,” Steven Salaita announced on Twitter Wednesday.
“I've really missed the classroom. I'll do my very best to honor the legacy of Dr. Said,” he added.
Salaita's one-year term is set to begin in September.
The University of Illinois had offered Salaita a job starting in fall 2014, but rescinded the offer after he posted a series of tweets denouncing Israel's summer assault against Gaza.
Salaita's supporters have accused wealthy pro-Israel donors and campus groups of pressuring the administration into rescinding the offer over his pro-Palestine views.
Several hours after revealing he would be teaching at AUB, Salaita tweeted: “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.”
