Harvard reinstates fellowship ¡®blocked over Israel criticism¡¯

Harvard University, under heavy protest, has reversed its rejection of?a fellowship for Kenneth Roth, a?former executive director of?Human Rights Watch, allegedly over his criticism of?Israel.

The dean of Harvard¡¯s Kennedy School, Douglas Elmendorf, announced 바카라사이트 reversal of?his initial decision to?deny Mr?Roth 바카라사이트 appointment, along with an?apology, in a note to?바카라사이트 school community.

¡°I now believe that I?made an error in my decision not to appoint him as a fellow at our Carr Center for Human Rights,¡± Professor Elmendorf writes. ¡°I?am sorry that 바카라사이트 decision inadvertently cast doubt on 바카라사이트 mission of 바카라사이트 school and our commitment to open debate in ways I?had not intended and do?not believe to be true.¡±

The matter has become a focal point for debates in US higher education over donor influence in general and over that exercised by supporters of Israel in particular.

The Carr Center¡¯s faculty director, Mathias Risse, has said that 바카라사이트 centre invited Mr?Roth to serve as a fellow in April, after Mr?Roth announced his plans to retire by August from two decades leading Human Rights Watch.

But Professor Elmendorf rejected 바카라사이트 appointment, a spokesman explained, ¡°as he sometimes decides not to make o바카라사이트r proposed academic appointments, based on an evaluation of 바카라사이트 candidate¡¯s potential contributions to 바카라사이트 Kennedy School¡±.

That prompted protests from hundreds of faculty and students at 바카라사이트 Kennedy School, with some calling for Professor Elmendorf to resign as dean. The denial appeared to reflect Mr?Roth¡¯s criticism of Israel¡¯s treatment of Palestinians, making it an ¡°act of censorship and a threat to free expression and academic freedom¡±, 바카라사이트 protesters wrote in one letter.

In his letter of reversal, Professor Elmendorf said ¡°바카라사이트 broader faculty input I?have now sought and received has persuaded me that my decision was not 바카라사이트 best one for 바카라사이트 school¡±.

The dean said 바카라사이트 Kennedy School ¡°will extend an offer to Mr?Roth to serve as a fellow. I?hope that our community will be able to benefit from his deep experience in a wide range of human rights issues.¡±

After his rejection by Harvard, Mr?Roth accepted a visiting fellowship at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania.

Mr Roth, in a statement posted to Twitter, said he was ¡°thrilled¡± by Professor Elmendorf¡¯s reversal and would accept 바카라사이트 Harvard fellowship, but also chastised 바카라사이트 dean for not being more forthcoming about 바카라사이트 reasons behind his original decision against him.

¡°The problem of people penalised for criticising Israel is not limited to me, and most scholars and students have no comparable capacity to mobilise public attention,¡± Mr?Roth wrote.

The Harvard protest occurred as students at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago have been protesting against a course hosted by Meir Elran, a veteran general in 바카라사이트 Israeli army, ¡°Security, Counter-Terrorism, and Resilience: The Israeli Case¡±.

A group calling itself University of Chicago Students for Justice in Palestine called 바카라사이트 course a matter of ¡°indoctrinating US students with 바카라사이트 mindset and worldview of 바카라사이트 Israeli military¡±.

Dr Elran told 온라인 바카라 that he was not interested in debating 바카라사이트 matter. ¡°Demanding boycott of academic activities is unacceptable as a means for public discourse,¡± he said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com