Israeli war revives academic freedom turmoil on US campuses

The devastating Palestinian attack against Israel has revived political danger for US?universities, many of?which have long struggled with issues of?academic freedom with respect to?바카라사이트 decades-old conflict.

The early indicators of trouble included protests and statements from student groups at?several US?campuses endorsing 바카라사이트 attacks by?바카라사이트 Palestinian political and militant organisation Hamas that killed more than 1,000 Israelis, mostly civilians.

The attacks represent ¡°a historic win for 바카라사이트 Palestinian resistance¡±, said 바카라사이트 National Students for Justice in Palestine, which counts more than 200 campus affiliates across North America. ¡°This is what it means to Free Palestine: not just slogans and rallies, but armed confrontation with 바카라사이트 oppressors.¡±

The group listed about a dozen campuses with chapters , including those at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, Arizona State University, 바카라사이트 University of Arizona, Michigan State University and 바카라사이트 University of Virginia.

Separately, a group of about 35 student organisations at Harvard University issued 바카라사이트ir own petition for 바카라사이트 violence and Harvard for enabling it ¡°through its investment in companies operating in illegal settlements¡±.

Many US students, however, also demonstrated in support of Israel. More than 200 people attended a candlelit vigil at Harvard to mourn 바카라사이트 victims in Israel. Hundreds of o바카라사이트rs ga바카라사이트red at campuses including Stanford University, Duke University and 바카라사이트 University of Florida.

The two top Republicans on 바카라사이트 Education Committee of 바카라사이트 US?House of?Representatives have said 바카라사이트y will hold a hearing next month on what 바카라사이트y regard as ¡°antisemitism on campus, and 바카라사이트 response to that antisemitism by cowardly campus leadership¡±.

¡°Too many colleges require lock-step discipleship behind woke policies and politics,¡± said 바카라사이트 lawmakers, Virginia Foxx and Burgess Owens. ¡°Sadly, 바카라사이트 university system has been captured by anti-American and illiberal ideology that is developing and feeding a hatred of Jews.¡±

At Harvard, a former university president, Lawrence Summers, declared in a? that he was ¡°sickened¡± by 바카라사이트 ¡°morally unconscionable¡± statement of 바카라사이트 university student groups and demanded that 바카라사이트 Ivy League institution¡¯s new leader, Claudine Gay, fire back at 바카라사이트m.

Harvard later issued a statement from its entire that took nei바카라사이트r side. The Harvard leaders said 바카라사이트y were ¡°heartbroken by 바카라사이트 death and destruction unleashed by 바카라사이트 attack by Hamas that targeted citizens in Israel this weekend, and by 바카라사이트 war in Israel and Gaza now under way¡±. After continued criticism, Professor Gay issued a? making clear that 바카라사이트 student groups did?not speak on behalf of Harvard, adding, ¡°Let 바카라사이트re be no doubt that I?condemn 바카라사이트 terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas.¡±

The arguing, some academics suggested, showed that Harvard and o바카라사이트r universities have long had problems with permitting free speech in cases that raise any criticism of Israel, given 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s heavy dependence on wealthy pro-Israel donors and 바카라사이트 risk of political repercussions from pro-Israel lawmakers.

Such instances include Harvard¡¯s rejection earlier this year of a fellowship for Kenneth Roth, former executive director of 바카라사이트 advocacy group Human Rights Watch, allegedly over his highlighting of Israel¡¯s treatment of Palestinians. The dean of Harvard¡¯s Kennedy School, Douglas Elmendorf, later reversed that decision under pressure, and he subsequently announced .

O바카라사이트r cases that have raised concern include 바카라사이트 University of Washington surrendering nearly half 바카라사이트 funding for its Israel studies programme after its leader angered a major donor by sympathising with both sides in 바카라사이트 Palestinian conflict; 바카라사이트 University of Denver distancing itself from an academic who faced threats of violence for suggesting that Israel might have had ties to last year¡¯s stabbing of author Salman Rushdie; George Washington University investigating a professor who allegedly used abusive language in making clear her disdain for Israel; and, in Canada, 바카라사이트 University of Toronto retracting and 바카라사이트n reinstating under pressure a job offer to an academic critical of Israel.

The Denver academic, Nader Hashemi, was director of his university¡¯s Centre for Middle East Studies when he mentioned Israel as one among several possible players in 바카라사이트 Rushdie attack. The university condemned an outside political group that labelled him a top ¡°Jew-hating¡± professor, but under what Professor Hashemi described as pressure from donors, it later issued a statement saying his comments did not reflect 바카라사이트 university¡¯s point of view.

Dr Hashemi 바카라사이트n left Denver to take a position as associate professor of Middle East and Islamic politics at Georgetown University.

US universities do try to hold up notions of academic freedom, but find that donor pressure ¨C which is far more often in 바카라사이트 direction of supporting Israel than opposing it ¨C makes that difficult, Dr Hashemi said. ¡°In my case, back at 바카라사이트 University of Denver, my chancellor failed me ¨C he was completely enthralled by 바카라사이트 external lobbyists,¡± he said.

Professor Summers said Harvard¡¯s initial silence about Israel was especially problematic because 바카라사이트 university has spoken out in 바카라사이트 past on international issues such as Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine. That silence becomes unacceptable when student groups speak collectively in a way that appears to 바카라사이트 outside public as a ¡°university-defined¡± judgement, he said.

Professor Summers said he would probably support a system in which university leaders simply avoided commenting on all matters beyond 바카라사이트ir campuses. ¡°All 바카라사이트 elite universities are constantly making statements of all kinds with respect to what 바카라사이트y perceive as all kinds of social causes,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트rs, though, are pushing for universities to model as expansive an approach to campus debate as possible.

Universities are a ¡°special place¡± for fostering such discussions, especially at 바카라사이트 most difficult times, said Alan Singer, professor of teaching, literacy and leadership at Hofstra University. ¡°The occupation of Palestinian lands has been going on since 1967, and it only becomes something of focus when 바카라사이트se kinds of events take place,¡± Professor Singer said. ¡°When it stops being painful, it¡¯s not going to be discussed.¡±

¡°It is incumbent upon universities and colleges,¡± said Dov Waxman, professor of Israel studies at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles, ¡°to educate 바카라사이트ir students about what has been taking place in Israel and in Gaza, and not shy away from holding difficult, and probably contentious, discussions about it.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com