Reports

Bosnian teacher: I was fired from my job in Luxembourg for supporting Palestine (Interview)

Ahmet Kartal, Hişam Sabanlıoğlu, Mehmet Kara

11 July 2026 • Updated: 11 July 2026

ISTANBUL

Istanbul / Mehmet Kara / Anadolu

**Bosnian teacher Fatima Kurtić to Anadolu:

- Firing from my job will not stop me from speaking about the genocide in Gaza

- I expressed my support for Palestinians and my rejection of the war, and I did not publish any content against the Jewish people or the Jewish religion

- My experience as a Bosnian belonging to a people who suffered genocide made me more aware of the suffering of Palestinians

Bosnian teacher Fatima Kurtić said she was fired from her job in Luxembourg due to posts in which she supported Palestine and denounced the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, stressing that her accusation of "anti-Semitism" came as a result of her criticism of Israeli policies, not because of any offense to Jews or the Jewish religion.

This came in an interview with Anadolu, after her dismissal from the teaching profession in Luxembourg due to posts supporting Palestine and denouncing the war on the Gaza Strip, coinciding with Bosnia and Herzegovina commemorating on Saturday the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in which she lost several of her relatives and acquaintances.

Kurtić said: 'I was fired from my job because of my support for Palestine and my rejection of the war, but that will not stop me from speaking about what is happening in Gaza.'

She affirmed that she has stood by the Palestinians since the start of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, and described her dismissal as a 'great injustice.'

During the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 173,000 injured, along with widespread destruction that affected about 90 percent of civilian infrastructure.

Kurtić added that her social media account was accessible to everyone, and that she intensified posting content related to Palestine after her follower base expanded.

She said she arrived in Luxembourg as a refugee with her family in 2002, when she was eight years old, and spent four years in a refugee camp before completing her education and becoming a teacher.

Accusation of 'anti-Semitism'

Kurtić said she was fired from teaching after being accused of 'anti-Semitism' over stories she posted on her Instagram account.

The Ministry of National Education, Childhood and Youth in Luxembourg terminated her employment on October 7, 2025, after summoning her in August of the same year to investigate those posts.

The name of the primary school where she worked was not disclosed, and neither the Ministry of Education nor Luxembourg authorities issued a public comment regarding her account.

She added: 'I expressed my support for Palestinians and my rejection of the war, and I did not publish any content against the Jewish people or the Jewish religion, but rather criticized Israel's practices. Considering this criticism as hatred of Jews does not represent me at all.'

She continued: 'My employment was terminated because of my support for Palestine and my rejection of the war, but nothing can stop me from speaking about Palestine and what is happening there.'

She affirmed that her experience as a Bosnian belonging to a people who suffered genocide made her more aware of the suffering of Palestinians.

She said: 'People are being killed and tortured, and as a teacher and a human being, I could not remain silent. Those who work with children must empathize with the pain of others.'

She added that she went through a difficult period after her dismissal, but she feels at ease because of her conviction that her stance is just.

She affirmed that she will continue writing and speaking in defense of the Palestinian cause, noting that she has received messages of solidarity from people of different religions and identities around the world.

She added: 'I received messages even from inside Israel, whose senders said: You are completely right and we are on your side. That was an example of human solidarity that transcended borders, religions, and identities.'

Legal appeal

Kurtić said she appealed, through her lawyer, the decision to dismiss her in court.

She added that the case file includes more than 20 testimonies, and both parties have completed submitting their written briefs, while the final verdict is expected by the end of 2027.

She acknowledged that the length of the proceedings is a burden on her, adding: 'I believe in justice, and I think the judiciary in Luxembourg will issue its verdict based on the concrete facts in the case.'

Survivor of genocide

Kurtić spoke about the impact of the Srebrenica genocide on her life, explaining that she lost a large number of relatives and acquaintances during it, and that this experience made her more connected to what is happening in the Gaza Strip.

She said: 'As someone who has experienced genocide, I cannot ignore another genocide. For me, this is not only a political issue but also a moral responsibility.'

She added that the Bosnian experience represents a message of hope that she seeks to convey to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, noting that some of her friends there have been killed, while she continues to urge others to remain steadfast.

She said: 'I always tell them: Look at Bosnia, they planned to eliminate us completely, but we survived. We still exist and continue to resist, and you too should never give up.'

She affirmed her adherence to her positions and posts supporting Palestine, saying: 'I never hid that I am a Muslim, and I never hid that I am Bosnian, nor did I hide that I am from Luxembourg. I lived as I am, and I held onto the values I believe in.'

She added: 'I did not retract my posts nor apologize for them, because I was convinced of everything I wrote. My Instagram account is open to thousands of followers, and I hide nothing. Every word I published expressed my convictions and feelings.'

It is recalled that Serbian forces under the command of Ratko Mladić entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, after the UN had declared it a safe area.

Within days, Serbian forces committed a massacre that killed more than 8,000 Bosnians, aged between 7 and 70, after the Dutch forces operating there handed over tens of thousands of Bosnians to the Serbian forces.

Every year on July 11, Bosnia and Herzegovina holds burial ceremonies for the remains of Srebrenica massacre victims at the Potočari Memorial Cemetery, for those whose remains are found during searches in mass graves.