"No Wonder Why Hitler...": Citibank Employee Fired Over Anti-Israel Post

Nozima Husainova, a Citi personal banker, was fired by Citigroup over her anti-Israel social media post that appeared to support Hitler's actions during the Holocaust.

"No wonder why Hitler wanted to get rid of all of them," she had posted attacking Israel, which was initially blamed for the recent Gaza hospital bombing. Her remark, however, drew widespread criticism after the non-partisan group Stop AntiSemitism shared a screenshot of it on the platform X (formerly Twitter).

"Is this vile antisemite to your employee @Citi?" they wrote.

“No wonder why Hitler wanted to get rid of all of them”. - Nozima Husainova

Unbridled antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/GFdEMMdrI6

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 18, 2023

Citigroup also took note of the comment and said that they were taking appropriate disciplinary action.

"We strongly condemn antisemitism and other hate speech,” they wrote.

We are investigating this matter and taking appropriate disciplinary action. We strongly condemn antisemitism and other hate speech.

— Citi (@Citi) October 19, 2023

Citigroup later confirmed that they had fired her and condemned antisemitism.

"We terminated the employment of the person who posted the revolting antisemitic comment on social media. We condemn antisemitism and all hate speech and do not tolerate it in our bank,” they said.

Update: We terminated the employment of the person who posted the revolting antisemitic comment on social media. We condemn antisemitism and all hate speech and do not tolerate it in our bank.

— Citi (@Citi) October 19, 2023

Following her firing, StopAntisemitism expressed their gratitude to X, saying, "Thank you @Citi for saying NO! to antisemitism".

UPDATE: Nozima Husainova has been fired from Citi.

A spokesman for Citi said Husainova's comments were 'revolting' and said hate speech would not be tolerated in their bank.

Thank you @Citi for saying NO! to antisemitism. https://t.co/yTzBNXhIEu

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 19, 2023

Several other X users also commended the bank for taking “swift action”.

“Well done. We must appreciate Citi for swift action,” a person wrote on X. 

Well done.
We must appreciate Citi for swift action.

— Guru Amar 'Balak' (@Amar_Guru1) October 19, 2023

“Great news. Good to see that companies are reacting to appalling comments like this swiftly,” another person said.

Great news. Good to see that companies are reacting to appalling comments like this swiftly.

— Emil Pfeiffer Stenbøg (@StenbEmil) October 20, 2023

Another user blamed Ms Husainova for her actions, saying, “What was she thinking? Total disgrace.”

What was she thinking? Total disgrace.

— Elliot (@elliotmedaglio) October 19, 2023

Ms Husainova's firing comes not long after several business leaders threatened not to hire Harvard students who signed a letter blaming Israel for Hamas' violent actions.

According to a letter obtained by The New York Post, the students argued that Hamas' attack didn't happen on its own and that the Israeli government has kept Palestinians in what they call an "open-air prison" for more than two decades.