In a recent development, Shellyne Rodriguez, a New York professor notorious for holding a machete to a reporter's neck last year, has reportedly been fired from her teaching position after expressing anti-Israel views. This termination comes after she was terminated from her previous role at Hunter College and later from her most recent position at Cooper Union in Manhattan.

In an email sent to students on January 23, Rodriguez revealed her firing from Cooper Union, linking it to a social media post she made about "Zionists." The email was later shared on Instagram by Cooper Union Students for Justice in Palestine. The post stated, "This is fascism. Ya'll are learning about it in real time," and urged students to remain strong, brave, and defiant.

The firing sparked a backlash from the student group, which claimed that it represented an escalation of McCarthyist repression and aimed to intimidate and punish those who support a free Palestine. They called on their followers to email the art school dean in protest.

When questioned about Rodriguez's termination, a spokesperson for Cooper Union declined to comment, stating that they do not provide information on personnel matters. Furthermore, Rodriguez's name has been removed from Cooper Union's faculty page.

The exact reason behind her latest dismissal remains unclear. However, it followed her participation in a virtual panel discussion where she spoke about the possibility of a boycott and divestment movement involving not making rent payments to Jewish landlords or those who support Israel. Her statements were widely criticized as antisemitic. She also made derogatory remarks about former Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr.

Jewish students at Cooper Union expressed relief at Rodriguez's firing, with one advocate group co-founder describing her comments as "despicable." The professor's previous incident involving holding a knife to a reporter's neck added to the outrage. She later pleaded guilty to harassment and menacing charges in connection to the attack.

This termination from Cooper Union comes in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests at the university, during which demonstrators banged on the windows of the school library while Jewish students were present.

As of now, there has been no further information regarding any potential legal repercussions or response from Shellyne Rodriguez.

The events surrounding Professor Rodriguez's tenure at both Hunter College and Cooper Union serve as a reminder of the complex and sensitive nature of discussions around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the importance of fostering respectful dialogue on college campuses.