Activist Posing as Palestinian Revealed as Jewish Woman

An anti-Israel activist in Philadelphia, Hannah Ganness, 34, who identified herself as a Black Palestinian and led protests, has been exposed as a white Jewish woman from Virginia. Her parents reportedly live in Israel.

The revelation, first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, has drawn comparisons to the Rachel Dolezal case, where a white woman posed as Black. Ganness has since issued an apology, admitting to lying about her identity and stating she has no Palestinian or Tunisian heritage.

For an extended period, Ganness, a high school teacher, adopted a foreign accent and used makeup to darken her skin while actively participating in anti-Israel movements in the city. An organization called Accuracy in Media launched a campaign against her, displaying her image on protest trucks with the caption, "Hannah Ganness: 10th Grade Teacher and Philadelphia's Leading Antisemitic." The campaign aimed to expose her activities near her home and the school where she teaches.

The campaign against her intensified after she led a protest outside a Jewish-owned bakery two months after the October 7th Hamas attack. This demonstration was described by the watchdog group Canary Mission as a pro-Hamas rally. During this protest, Ganness was heard on a megaphone saying, "I know the lives of every martyr are precious," and called for violent resistance, urging demonstrators to "take to these streets... until Palestine is free. We must resist and disrupt with all we have."

Additionally, Ganness reportedly attacked Jews on social media and shared content advocating harm to Jewish businesses.