U of O antisemitism adviser apologizes, resigns for posts on device explosions

The University of Ottawa’s special adviser on antisemitism has resigned after fewer than three months in the role, saying his social media posts about the deadly device explosions across Lebanon had hurt people and affected his ability to do that job.

Artur Wilczynski, a senior adviser at the university’s graduate school of public and international affairs and a decorated former senior public servant, posted and replied several times on X, formerly known as Twitter, as the attacks broke out Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Tuesday, at least 12 people were killed, including two children, with some 2,800 people wounded when hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members began detonating (new window) wherever they happened to be — in homes, cars, at grocery stores and in cafés.

The following day, in a second wave of attacks (new window), at least 20 people were killed and 450 were wounded when walkie-talkies and solar equipment used by Hezbollah exploded in Beirut and multiple parts of Lebanon.

Although Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement, it’s widely believed that intelligence officials from the country were responsible for the attacks.

Wilczynski drew anger online for characterizing what happened as brilliant, posting: Today’s targeting of Hezbollah operatives was brilliant. It struck a major blow against a terror group that has fired thousands of rockets against civilians all while the useless UN mission in Lebanon stands by.

He later said Wednesday evening that by brilliant he meant the sophistication involved in planning, adding: The loss of innocent lives in any conflict is abhorrent & must be avoided.

Wilczynski also posted a clapping GIF (new window) in reply to a post about both the planning involved in the attacks and the widespread injuries, and a GIF from Looney Tunes (new window) of the Road Runner scaring Wile E. Coyote with the caption Beep beep a few hours after the explosions began.

He later posted that the Road Runner reference was about “persistent attempts to kill Jews over the centuries that fail” (new window) and said other accounts were making morbid projections by saying he was joking about killing children.

Adviser role created earlier in summer

His first post Wednesday was to say he resigned as adviser (new window).

I believe in accountability. My posts on the Hezbollah/Israel war caused harm & affected my ability to help combat antisemitism at U of Ottawa, he said.

My intent in sharing is irrelevant when it is clear many were hurt by them. I apologize. I resigned as Special Advisor on Antisemitism.

CBC has reached out to Wilczynski and the university for comment.

The university announced they’d created this part-time special advisor position (new window) and that Wilczynski would fill it at the end of June. It said he’d be studying antisemitism and advising the University’s senior leadership on strategies to combat it and other forms of racism, discrimination and harassment to promote a safer campus for all.

This article is republished from RCI.