Israeli Professor Sparks Outrage Over Army’s Role in Killing Palestinian Children
Suspended and later reinstated, Dr. Sebastian Ben Daniel accuses Israeli soldiers of systematic child killings, igniting backlash from political and academic circles.
Watan-Amid the rare Israeli voices opposing the war and denouncing the killing of innocent Palestinians, a lecturer at Ben-Gurion University in Be’er Sheva has stirred widespread controversy and calls for accountability after stating that Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian children because they were raised to do so.
In a radio interview, Dr. Sebastian Ben Daniel described Israeli soldiers as child killers, claiming they have been brought up to become murderers, benefiting from the protection of the public prosecution and the police. He added that only the Supreme Court has the power to hold them accountable.
This is not the first time he has voiced such views, standing against the overwhelming tide in Israeli society. About two weeks ago, he made similar statements, which led to a backlash from political and media circles, as well as pressure from the university, which suspended him for several days. However, he was reinstated after retracting his statements, according to a university statement.
Academic Repression in Israel: Professors Punished for Criticizing Gaza War
Dr. Sebastian, who writes and speaks on social media under the pseudonym John Brown (named after the historical American freedom fighter), previously wrote two weeks ago that Israeli soldiers kill infants not because of orders but because they were raised to do so. He referenced a report published in Haaretz about an Israeli soldier shooting a pregnant Palestinian woman, following an order from the central military command to expand the rules of engagement.
Following his post, Ben-Gurion University suspended him due to pressure from university students and the right-wing Im Tirtzu movement, which acts as a form of “inquisition” against lecturers and students who criticize Israel and the occupation.
At the beginning of this month, the university reversed its decision to fire him after 550 Israeli university lecturers signed a petition condemning his suspension, calling it a dangerous precedent and emphasizing that academic institutions should remain strongholds of free expression. The petition also criticized the university for cooperating with forces that seek to undermine this right.
Meanwhile, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem cracked down on Arab professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian for signing an international petition calling for an end to the war on Gaza, citing the killing of women, children, and innocent civilians. Although she was later reinstated, she ultimately resigned from the university.
Criticism of the Israeli Government and Military Conduct
Against the backdrop of the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza and Netanyahu’s threats that “this is just the beginning,” philosopher Asa Kasher (84 years old), the leading ideologue behind the ethical and behavioral framework of the Israeli army, made a striking statement in an interview with Haaretz (February 20, 2025):”Israel is being run today by a criminal gang.”
He described the Israeli army’s brutal actions in Gaza as horrific and appalling, though he stopped short of calling them war crimes or genocide.
Protests in Israel and Their Limited Focus
Current protests in Israel are primarily driven by concerns over the fate of Israeli captives in Gaza, as well as opposition to Netanyahu’s continued weakening of “gatekeepers” within the state, the latest being the dismissal of Shin Bet (Shabak) chief Ronen Bar. However, only a small fraction of these demonstrators are speaking out against the war crimes committed against Gaza’s civilians for the past 14 months.
