NEW YORK  — Rutgers University has cancelled a planned graduation speech by business leader Rami Elghandour after some students raised concerns about his criticism of Israel on social media.

Elghandour, the CEO of biotech company Arcellx and an alumnus of the New Jersey university, had been set to give the May 15 convocation address at the Rutgers School of Engineering.

That invitation was rescinded after the university learned that “some graduating students would not attend their graduation ceremony due to concerns about the invited speaker’s social media posts,” a Rutgers spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson declined to specify the offending posts, but confirmed they were focused on Israel.

In a response shared on X, Elghandour said it was “disappointing and heartbreaking to see [Rutgers] abandon its students and its ideals.”

“After a ‘few’ students complained about my selection as speaker because of my social media advocacy for Palestine, Rutgers cancelled my speech,” he wrote, adding, “I have not and will not waver on my principles.”

I love Rutgers and it’s disappointing and heartbreaking to see it abandon its students and its ideals. My full statement. pic.twitter.com/k1cEXlkY2j — Rami Elghandour (@RamiElghandour) May 6, 2026

I love Rutgers and it’s disappointing and heartbreaking to see it abandon its students and its ideals. My full........

© The Times of Israel