Robert Malley, the Biden administration’s Iran envoy, is set to teach a course at Yale on the Israel-Palestine conflict while he’s on leave and being investigated by the FBI, according to the university’s newspaper.
The course titled “Contending with Israel Palestine” is being held this semester, according to Yale Daily News. The class is designed to take “an in-depth look at important questions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the outlet reported, citing the syllabus.
Malley was placed on leave back in by the State Department and had his security clearance revoked, according to the Washington Free Beacon. He has since been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) due to alleged inappropriate handling of classified documents, the outlet reported. (RELATED: ‘No Business Being In The US Government’ — Experts Scorch Biden For Hiring ‘Compromised’ Staff To Handle Iran Policy).
While he was an advisor for former president Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, Malley admitted he held talks with Hamas, the terrorist group currently at war with Israel. This scandal resulted in Malley being fired from the campaign, according to the Free Beacon.
His course at Yale has a limit of 18 students and is accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students, the school’s newspaper reported. Students reportedly had to schedule a meeting with Malley and be interviewed before they were enrolled.
The newfound professor’s sole prerequisite for the class was that students “be tolerant and respectful of opposing views,” the outlet reported.
“I’m well aware of how polarized and even toxic debates around Israel-Palestine can be,” Malley wrote, according to Yale Daily News. “I’m also well aware of the fact that we all have biases and prejudices, myself included. I’m trying to take steps as best I can to address that. [Students] don’t need to conceal or change their own – just to listen and try to understand their peers.”
NEW: Scandal-Plagued Iran Envoy To Teach Yale Course on Israel-Palestinian Conflict – Rob Malley, who was fired from Obama campaign for holding unauthorized talks with Hamas, will teach class while under FBI investigation for mishandling classified info https://t.co/DpBC08bqIc
— Adam Kredo (@Kredo0) January 19, 2024
Nathan Thrall, author of “A Day in the Life of Abed Salama,” a book required for the course, told Yale Daily News he believes Malley’s unpaid leave should not interfere with his teachings.
“Mr. Malley hasn’t so much as been charged with any wrongdoing, and he is among the most qualified scholars in the world to teach a class on Israel-Palestine,” Thrall stated, according to the outlet
In August 2023, Malley joined Princeton University as a visiting professor and lecturer, teaching courses covering “foreign policy decision-making,” “diplomacy,” and “negotiation,” according to the university’s website. He received criticism at the time, including from Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
“Pitiful. Look who my alma mater just made a prof.” the Princeton alum wrote on Twitter back in August.