Called IDF soldiers "child murderers": Calls to fire lecturer from Ben-Gurion University

Calls for the dismissal of Dr. Sebastian Ben Daniel, a lecturer at Ben-Gurion University, after he published a series of posts on X in which he called IDF soldiers "the most dangerous child and youth murderers in the West Bank." The "Im Tirtzu" movement joined the call. The university has not yet responded.

Calls for the dismissal of Dr. Sebastian Ben Daniel, a lecturer at Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva, have arisen following additional posts in which he defamed IDF soldiers. Among other things, he wrote under the pseudonym "John Brown" on X that "the most dangerous child and youth murderers in the West Bank are IDF soldiers." This is not the first time his statements have sparked controversy; he was previously suspended by the university but returned to teaching. In the past week, he published several more posts, including one stating that "20,000 children slaughtered in Gaza by IDF officers will testify that the theory did not translate into practice," in response to comments by Ya'ya Pink. The "Im Tirtzu" movement joined the call for his dismissal, stating that "every day the university president continues to employ this inciting lecturer is a stain on its name." The university has not yet responded. The article also mentions a previous appeal by Be'er Sheva city council member Yair Shoshan to Mayor Rubik Danilovich in August, to give up an honorary degree from the university in light of a previous statement by the lecturer.