New York University and NYU Langone Health are facing a breach of contract lawsuit from a longtime employee, who alleges he was “unceremoniously” removed from his post as director of a celebrated cancer center over social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Dr. Benjamin Neel was “dumped” as director of NYU Langone’s Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center on Oct. 31, the complaint alleges. Neel, who is Jewish, was told he was being terminated as director in response to three re-posts on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.