Yair Wallach
@yairwallach.bsky.social
Associate Professor (Reader), soas @soasuni.bsky.social, researching Palestine/Israel history. Race, migration, material culture, Antisemitism. "City in Fragments" (Stanford 2020) Currently working on Ashkenazi integration in the Arab Levant
Pinned
solidarity with Birzeit colleagues
BREAKING 🇵🇸 Israeli regime forces have stormed Birzeit University campus in the Occupied West Bank, injuring 41 students, including 9 with live bullets.
January 6, 2026 at 12:57 PM
solidarity with Birzeit colleagues
Reposted by Yair Wallach
It really says a lot that peaceful protest in public spaces can get you arrested in the UK but the Twitter situation is viewed as completely okay. Americans take a very absolutist view of free speech which comes with real trade-offs. But this state of affairs completely inverts them! Deranged stuff.
This is really bad; Grok is now going into is third day of regularly producing nonconsensual deepfake pornography and nobody is doing anything about it. The "Mechahitler" and "white genocide" episodes were stopped much more quickly. I suppose this tells us all about relative priorities.
January 6, 2026 at 11:26 AM
It really says a lot that peaceful protest in public spaces can get you arrested in the UK but the Twitter situation is viewed as completely okay. Americans take a very absolutist view of free speech which comes with real trade-offs. But this state of affairs completely inverts them! Deranged stuff.
Reposted by Yair Wallach
The sheer temerity of these people, Iranian lives is just a mere abstraction
This degree of obsession with blood drinking and prostitution is rather amusing though
This degree of obsession with blood drinking and prostitution is rather amusing though
January 1, 2026 at 10:50 PM
The sheer temerity of these people, Iranian lives is just a mere abstraction
This degree of obsession with blood drinking and prostitution is rather amusing though
This degree of obsession with blood drinking and prostitution is rather amusing though
What a sellout.
cw: joke
cw: joke
January 1, 2026 at 5:06 PM
What a sellout.
cw: joke
cw: joke
Reposted by Yair Wallach
I have donated, if you can, send @standing-together.bsky.social something. They do terrific work.
We’re 90% of the way to our end-of-year crowdfunding goal… Help us close the gap before midnight tonight ✨
Donate here: standtog.org/ItsNotOver
Donate here: standtog.org/ItsNotOver
December 31, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I have donated, if you can, send @standing-together.bsky.social something. They do terrific work.
Reposted by Yair Wallach
And the reasons for that are not hard to find - Starmer’s unpopularity among left-liberals is the logical, arguably even intended consequence of 18 months of comms and policy which alienates and angers left-liberals while winning over no one on right. This is the cake his team have baked themselves.
December 31, 2025 at 9:16 AM
And the reasons for that are not hard to find - Starmer’s unpopularity among left-liberals is the logical, arguably even intended consequence of 18 months of comms and policy which alienates and angers left-liberals while winning over no one on right. This is the cake his team have baked themselves.
Stripping people of citizenship is fascism.
This is exactly why I strongly opposed the move to strip Shamima Begum of her citizenship. Plenty of Brits have dual citizenship, often through a parent, or have access to another citizenship whether they intend to take it up or not, including all Jewish people & most people born in Northern Ireland
Ask this question and its follow-up. Like Begum before him, Alaa el-Fattah is being used as a crowbar to shift reasonable people - even some progressives - into a space of thinking that full citizenship, if granted recently or dual, is retroactively conditional or attracts a lower class of rights.
December 30, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Stripping people of citizenship is fascism.
RE Gaza, there is every reason to be pessimistic. Millions will continue to live in tent cities, not just this winter (3rd winter) but also for the next five years - who knows?
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
December 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
RE Gaza, there is every reason to be pessimistic. Millions will continue to live in tent cities, not just this winter (3rd winter) but also for the next five years - who knows?
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
A verified campaign to support Al Anwar Camp for Refugees, near Khan Younis. The weather has been dreadful in the last few days and needs are overwhelming.
chuffed.org/project/1592...
chuffed.org/project/1592...
Support Al Anwar Camp for Refugees
Al-Anwar is an unaffiliated displacement camp established in March 2025, located about 3 km northwest of Khan Younis. Over 1,250 people live in about 250 makeshift shelters and tents that offer almost...
chuffed.org
December 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A verified campaign to support Al Anwar Camp for Refugees, near Khan Younis. The weather has been dreadful in the last few days and needs are overwhelming.
chuffed.org/project/1592...
chuffed.org/project/1592...
Reposted by Yair Wallach
I will never understand the soullessness of people who try to strip a human rights defender and torture survivor of the safety that his family won at impossible cost. I have nothing but the most profound admiration for Alaa Abd el-Fattah
I will never regret being part of the movement to free Alaa Abd el-Fattah, or writing the foreword to his extraordinary book, You Have Not Yet Been Defeated.
Read his honest and heartfelt response to those playing politics with his hard-won freedom.
#FreeAlaa Always.
freealaa.net/alaa-response
Read his honest and heartfelt response to those playing politics with his hard-won freedom.
#FreeAlaa Always.
freealaa.net/alaa-response
Statement in response to historic tweets
I am shaken that, just as I am being reunited with my family for the first time in 12 years, several historic tweets of mine have been republished and used to question and attack my integrity and valu...
freealaa.net
December 29, 2025 at 2:43 AM
I will never understand the soullessness of people who try to strip a human rights defender and torture survivor of the safety that his family won at impossible cost. I have nothing but the most profound admiration for Alaa Abd el-Fattah
I don't understand the people who watch podcasts
December 27, 2025 at 6:15 PM
I don't understand the people who watch podcasts
Reposted by Yair Wallach
By the way Noam shuster's doc "coexistence my ass" is so fucking good. You can rent and stream it off kinema now
December 24, 2025 at 11:40 PM
By the way Noam shuster's doc "coexistence my ass" is so fucking good. You can rent and stream it off kinema now
Netanyahu's very vulnerable politically rn
If the US is serious about Gaza phase 2, now would be the moment to push him.
By end of March at latest countdown to Israeli elections starts
And the Trump WH will have no time for this
As I said: If the US is serious.
If the US is serious about Gaza phase 2, now would be the moment to push him.
By end of March at latest countdown to Israeli elections starts
And the Trump WH will have no time for this
As I said: If the US is serious.
December 24, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Netanyahu's very vulnerable politically rn
If the US is serious about Gaza phase 2, now would be the moment to push him.
By end of March at latest countdown to Israeli elections starts
And the Trump WH will have no time for this
As I said: If the US is serious.
If the US is serious about Gaza phase 2, now would be the moment to push him.
By end of March at latest countdown to Israeli elections starts
And the Trump WH will have no time for this
As I said: If the US is serious.
Reposted by Yair Wallach
i have spent time with bari weiss, who used to date my former roommate and who i am in an alumni program with, and i feel comfortable saying she is both stupid and evil
lol yeah that’s fuckin airtight wrap it up everybody no one’s ever been stupid and evil at the same time
December 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
i have spent time with bari weiss, who used to date my former roommate and who i am in an alumni program with, and i feel comfortable saying she is both stupid and evil
Ethiopian General (Ras Kassa Hailu?) in Jerusalem, seated on the train to Jaffa before it departs, on his way to Ethiopia after its liberation from the Italians. IWM collections.
December 23, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Ethiopian General (Ras Kassa Hailu?) in Jerusalem, seated on the train to Jaffa before it departs, on his way to Ethiopia after its liberation from the Italians. IWM collections.
Distinguished Ethiopians leaving Jerusalem
The Family of Ras Kassa
Photograph by Sgt Gladstone, 6th October 1942
IWM Archive
The Family of Ras Kassa
Photograph by Sgt Gladstone, 6th October 1942
IWM Archive
December 23, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Distinguished Ethiopians leaving Jerusalem
The Family of Ras Kassa
Photograph by Sgt Gladstone, 6th October 1942
IWM Archive
The Family of Ras Kassa
Photograph by Sgt Gladstone, 6th October 1942
IWM Archive
My take on the NYT:
Con:
Terrible headlines, as if they're trying to play down their own stories
Rubbish on breaking news
Boring op-eds
Pretty terrible on culture
Pro:
Generally excellent reporting
Good podcasts
Great videos
Superb games+cooking
Con:
Terrible headlines, as if they're trying to play down their own stories
Rubbish on breaking news
Boring op-eds
Pretty terrible on culture
Pro:
Generally excellent reporting
Good podcasts
Great videos
Superb games+cooking
December 23, 2025 at 12:27 PM
My take on the NYT:
Con:
Terrible headlines, as if they're trying to play down their own stories
Rubbish on breaking news
Boring op-eds
Pretty terrible on culture
Pro:
Generally excellent reporting
Good podcasts
Great videos
Superb games+cooking
Con:
Terrible headlines, as if they're trying to play down their own stories
Rubbish on breaking news
Boring op-eds
Pretty terrible on culture
Pro:
Generally excellent reporting
Good podcasts
Great videos
Superb games+cooking
Reposted by Yair Wallach
1 like one prediction for 2026 based entirely on bird auguries I saw today
December 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM
1 like one prediction for 2026 based entirely on bird auguries I saw today
Reposted by Yair Wallach
What Ben says: if you are in Holocaust or Jewish studies, and want to sign, we would be happy to see your signature.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
If you are not, the UK Friends of Standing Together signature is the place to sign.
Thank you!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
If you are not, the UK Friends of Standing Together signature is the place to sign.
Thank you!
December 23, 2025 at 11:05 AM
What Ben says: if you are in Holocaust or Jewish studies, and want to sign, we would be happy to see your signature.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
If you are not, the UK Friends of Standing Together signature is the place to sign.
Thank you!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
If you are not, the UK Friends of Standing Together signature is the place to sign.
Thank you!
My position on the debate on "From the River to the Sea" is that it should start with the party that is actually advancing this vision not only through chants but also through genocide and ethnic cleansing - the current Israeli government.
December 23, 2025 at 10:55 AM
My position on the debate on "From the River to the Sea" is that it should start with the party that is actually advancing this vision not only through chants but also through genocide and ethnic cleansing - the current Israeli government.
A special seasonal greeting:
I hate you, MS Outlook, so so so much.
I hate you, MS Outlook, so so so much.
December 21, 2025 at 6:41 PM
A special seasonal greeting:
I hate you, MS Outlook, so so so much.
I hate you, MS Outlook, so so so much.
I would say that it points to Israel's plan to replicate in the West Bank what it did in Gaza.
NYT on Israel's ethnic cleansing of the West Bank. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
NYT on Israel's ethnic cleansing of the West Bank. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Land Grab: Inside Israel’s Escalating Campaign for Control of the West Bank (Gift Article)
Israeli seizure of Palestinian lands in the West Bank, often brutally, has accelerated, raising doubts about the prospects of a peaceful solution to the conflict.
www.nytimes.com
December 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
I would say that it points to Israel's plan to replicate in the West Bank what it did in Gaza.
NYT on Israel's ethnic cleansing of the West Bank. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
NYT on Israel's ethnic cleansing of the West Bank. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
In the last two years, Yuval Abraham @972mag.com brought groundbreaking investigative reporting on war crimes in Gaza. This podcast gives a glimpse into the work behind it - and why you should support it.
www.972mag.com/podcast-unco...
www.972mag.com/podcast-unco...
Uncovering the inner workings of an AI genocide
+972's Yuval Abraham takes us inside his investigations into the Gaza war and the legal and moral challenges he faces when reporting.
www.972mag.com
December 20, 2025 at 11:07 PM
In the last two years, Yuval Abraham @972mag.com brought groundbreaking investigative reporting on war crimes in Gaza. This podcast gives a glimpse into the work behind it - and why you should support it.
www.972mag.com/podcast-unco...
www.972mag.com/podcast-unco...