Human Rights Group Demands Suspension of Ben-Gurion Lecturer Running for Balad Party

A significant controversy has emerged at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev after the human rights organization B'Tselem sent an urgent letter to the university president, Professor Daniel Chamovitz. The letter demands the immediate suspension without pay of Dr. Maha Karkabi Sabah, a sociology and anthropology lecturer, following her official candidacy for the Balad party in the upcoming Knesset elections, where she holds a realistic third place on the list.

B'Tselem argues that Dr. Karkabi Sabah’s active political campaign while continuing to teach students presents a clear conflict of interest and risks using the academic platform for election propaganda. The organization’s CEO, Shay Glick, emphasized that it is ethically and publicly unacceptable for an academic to blur the lines between political activism and educational responsibilities. He warned that continuing her teaching duties during the campaign could unfairly influence students and compromise the university’s integrity.

The case is further complicated by Balad’s controversial political stance, which B'Tselem describes as extreme and undermining Israel’s Jewish and democratic character. The Central Elections Committee has previously ruled to disqualify Balad from elections on these grounds. B'Tselem’s letter questions the appropriateness of a university lecturer openly supporting such a party within a public education institution.

Shay Glick called on Ben-Gurion University to draw a clear boundary between partisan political campaigning and academic work to protect the institution’s reputation and student welfare. He demanded Dr. Karkabi Sabah be placed on unpaid leave for the election period and requested a thorough review of her employment status, expecting a response within seven days.