British-Israeli Professor Asked To ‘Apologize’ For IDF Service, Watch His Powerful Response

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In recent weeks, Prof. Michael Ben Gad, an economics professor at London’s City University, has faced a targeted campaign to oust him from his job – which has included posters on campus branding him a “terrorist”, a masked mob storming his classroom and even a threat to behead him.

However speaking to comedian Josh Howie on his GB News show Free Speech Nation, the academic, who was conscripted to serve in the IDF in the 1980s, once again made it clear that he is not going anywhere, and far from feeling scared, he is merely angry on behalf of his students.

Recounting the latest developments, Ben-Gad said: “They are now offering me ‘terms’: I can have my life back if I apologise for my military service.”

He then went on the deliver his “apology” to camera, opening with the line “Good evening, thugs”.

Professor Michael Ben Gad scathing ‘apology’ to the “thugs” who threatened to behead him for serving in the IDF.

Video: Courtesy GB News pic.twitter.com/4Jaas0XSPY

— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) October 28, 2025

Far from apologising for his IDF service, which took place from 1982 to 1985, Ben-Gad said that although as an Israeli citizen military service was compulsory, “for most of us, conscription merely absolved us of the need to volunteer.”

He then added: “I was born less than 20 years after nearly my entire family was gassed at Treblinka. And personally, I would have crawled over cut glass to get to that induction centre, to put on the uniform and defend my people.”

Ben-Gad, who has worked at the university since 2008, said that City had offered him paid leave and joked that although it was “very tempting” as as an academic with “a lot of research projects”, he was determined to turn up to “every single lecture”, adding that the institution was working to bolster his security to make sure that could happen.

He added: “Do I look traumatised? No, I am very angry.”

Some 1,600 academics, writers and political figures have come out to defend Ben-Gad in recent days.

The professor also revealed that he had spoken to Jewish students at the university, saying he was “so impressed by their dignity, their maturity.”