Adalah received complaints from around 80 Palestinian students, citizens of Israel, expelled or suspended from their Israeli universities and colleges due to their social media posts

Following the massive escalation of hostilities in Israel and the Gaza Strip, which began on 7 October 2023, Adalah received complaints from around 40 youth, Palestinian citizens of Israel, studying at Israeli universities and colleges after they received letters of expulsion or suspension from their Israeli academic institutions.

Since the beginning of the War, the academic institutions targeted Palestinian students for publishing posts on their social media accounts in what their schools defined as "support of terrorism" and "sympathizing with terror organizations". Some of these posts merely quoted verses from the Holy Qur’an, while others only published lists of journalists from the bombarded Gaza Strip.  The majority of the notices were issued and sent to the students without giving them the opportunity to be heard in order to defend themselves against these allegations.  Adalah is representing 12 students and has sent letters on their behalf to the schools demanding the immediate cancellation of the expulsions or suspensions.  Additionally, Adalah is representing some of the students in disciplinary procedures the universities or colleges has initiated against them.

In one case, Haifa University informed a student that she was suspended from her studies following posts that she published on her social media account. Immediately thereafter, she received an eviction notice from the Department of Student Housing on 8 October 2023 demanding that she leave her student dorm room the next day. The student received no prior notice or opportunity to defend herself against the suspension or the dorm housing eviction order, or time to find alternative accommodation.

Adalah sent an urgent letter on behalf of the student to Haifa University officials demanding the immediate withdrawal of their decision to expel her from the dorms and to halt her suspension. Adalah argued that the student had been denied due process, that the decision was made without any notice to her regarding the alleged publication, and no punishment was issued by the university's disciplinary body. Therefore, the university’s decision was arbitrary and unreasonable; was made in the absence of authority and in violation of the law; and constitutes a serious violation of the student’s rights to a fair process, to housing and to freedom of expression. Following Adalah's letter, on 9 October, the university decided to allow the student to remain in the dorms and to freeze the eviction order.

In its response to Adalah's letter regarding the suspension of Palestinian students, the University of Haifa ignored the procedural and constitutional arguments presented by Adalah.

Adalah is continuing to defend Palestinain students in order to protect their freedom of expression rights at Israeli academic institutions.