Israeli lecturer charged over plot to kill hundreds of Palestinians and force mass expulsions

Israeli mathematics professor at Bar-Ilan University has been indicted for allegedly plotting to kill hundreds of Palestinians and force their expulsion from their homes and communities. Prosecutors claim the unnamed 60-something professor planned to recruit 72 Jewish attackers, including himself, to carry out coordinated attacks using firearms, axes, and hammers.

The alleged targets included Palestinian citizens of Israel, Bedouin communities, Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the objective was to cause mass casualties and drive Palestinians to flee or be expelled to Jordan, Lebanon, and Gaza. The plan, dubbed AIT (Hebrew for "the nation will carry out transfer"), began developing in February 2023 following communal violence in 2021 and intensified after the Hamas attack in October 2023.

The professor is accused of attempting to recruit far-right politician Moshe Feiglin, but Feiglin and his party reported the threats to police, leading to his arrest. Prosecutors seek to keep the lecturer in custody until the legal proceedings conclude, citing the alleged ideology and detailed preparation as evidence of an immediate danger.

The university has suspended the professor and condemned the allegations, emphasizing its zero-tolerance policy for such conduct.