An official at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies resigned after posting anti‑Israel conspiracy theories online. Arthur Cheliotes, former board chairman of the school, called Israel’s response to Hamas’s October 7 attack a “pretext” for invading Gaza and compared Prime Minister Netanyahu to Hitler—actions prompting CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos‑Rodríguez to demand his resignation.
Cheliotes reposted a graphic alleging Israel funded Hamas with $200 million, withdrew troops before the attack, moved bodies to a music festival, and deleted surveillance footage—claims characterized as baseless and antisemitic. The university emphasized that while he led an independent 501(c)(3), his remarks were “dangerous antisemitic conspiracies” with no place at CUNY.
Reaction was swift. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo both condemned Cheliotes. A former CUNY board trustee described the theories as “bogus” and labeled Cheliotes “an imbecile and antisemite,” warning that CUNY risked federal civil rights scrutiny if it failed to act promptly. Jewish community leaders echoed calls for accountability, citing escalating antisemitic trends on campus.
Cheliotes, 76, led the CWA Local 1180 union for decades and founded the labor school at CUNY. In his resignation statement, he claimed he didn’t intend to distract from the institution’s mission. CUNY accepted his departure, reaffirming that his views did not reflect those of the university.
This incident adds to a series of antisemitism concerns at public universities. CUNY has faced backlash over a pro‑BDS resolution by its faculty union (narrowly reversed) and a controversial Palestinian Studies posting removed last year by order of Governor Kathy Hochul for promoting “divisive” rhetoric.
