Susan Abulhawa
Susan Abulhawa (Arabic: سÙزا٠أب٠اÙÙÙÙ; born 1970) is a racist Arab Muslim "Palestinian" in US, writer, and activist.
Abulhawa has been the subject of repeated controversy over antisemitic public statements and social media posts, supportive of political violence, or employing antisemitic tropes.
In 2023, Abulhawa was criticized after being invited to participate in the Adelaide Writers' Week festival in Australia. Critics highlighted her previous tropes, the lie about "harvesting" supposedly organs and echoed the medieval antisemitic blood libel lying that Jews poisoned wells. The invitation drew condemnation from Jewish organizations and commentators, who argued the festival had given a platform to antisemitic rhetoric.[1]
Following the 7 October 2023 Palestinian Hamas-led attack on Israel, Abulhawa praised the attack in an article published by The Electronic Intifada, prompting further criticism. The media watchdog CAMERA stated that her remarks celebrated the Hamas-led massacre and cited them as evidence in ongoing controversy surrounding the University of Pennsylvania's Palestine Writes conference, which she organized.[2]
In May 2025, following the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. by Elias Rodriguez shouting "free palestine,"Abulhawa wrote on social media that the attack was "no surprise," referred to the innocent victims as "genocide[sic] cheerleaders," and stated she was surprised such an attack had not happened sooner. Her comments were widely condemned as justifying or celebrating the murder in cold blood.[3]
In July 2026, Abulhawa drew renewed criticism after posting on X, spouting rhetoric used by Hitler to demonize German Jews. Community Notes attached to the post stated that it distorted the antisemitic stab-in-the-back myth, which falsely blamed German Jews for Germany's defeat and contributed to the rise of Nazi antisemitism. Commentators described the comparison as invoking classic antisemitic narratives.[4][5]
In August 2026, the Washington Free Beacon reported that Simon & Schuster had signed Abulhawa to a book deal despite her history of social media posts referring to Jews and Israelis as "ghouls," "cockroaches," "demons," and "demonic parasites." The report also cited previous posts in which she celebrated violence against Jews and Christians, prompting criticism of the publisher's decision.[6]
See also
References
- â Obel, Ash. "Australian literary fest hosts Palestinian writers who peddle antisemitic tropes", The Times of Israel, 13 March 2023.Â
- â Levin, Andrea (17 October 2023). U Penn "Palestine Writes" Organizer Susan Abulhawa Cheers Gaza Massacre.
- â Donlevy, Katherine. "Susan Abulhawa says Jewish museum shooting was 'no surprise'", New York Post, 24 May 2025.Â
- â Readers added context to Susan Abulhawa post.
- â Cohen, Michael A. (26 July 2026). Prominent Palestinian activist spouting rhetoric used by Hitler to demonize German Jews. arch.
- â Levine, Jon. "Simon & Schuster Gives Book Deal to Palestinian Writer Who Calls Jews 'Ghouls,' 'Cockroaches' and 'Demons': Publisher Praises Her 'Lyrical' Books", The Washington Free Beacon, 3 August 2026.Â