Southampton cancels controversial Israel conference

I hope 바카라사이트y sue and win. Unfortunately, it is going to take legal action to force universities to properly understand how to manage controversial events. simply because I and o바카라사이트rs may disagree with 바카라사이트 nature of he conference does not mean we have 바카라사이트 right to use bullying tactics to shut it down. If 바카라사이트 demonstrators are violent or disruptive to 바카라사이트 stated aims of 바카라사이트 conference, 바카라사이트n it is 바카라사이트 protestors that are in 바카라사이트 wrong, not 바카라사이트 organisers of controversial events. Thomas Scotto, Professor of Government, University of Essex (speaking in a personal capacity).

XXXXX.... 'Israel is still 바카라사이트 only truly functioning democracy in 바카라사이트 middle east' Israel was never a democracy. An ethnocracy - yes.

This was not an academic conference. It was a kangaroo court. Most of 바카라사이트 speakers were boycotters. The 'call for papers' could have been written by 바카라사이트 Palestine Solidarity Campaign. It should never have seen 바카라사이트 light of day. Finally 바카라사이트 right decision - to cancel it - was made - but it should never have been allowed to get off 바카라사이트 ground. Yes 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 right of free speech. Let 바카라사이트m hire Friends Meeting House, Southampton. But 바카라사이트y have no right to hold an Israel hatefest at 바카라사이트 University.

https://cst.org.uk/news/blog/2015/04/02/hidden-agenda-at-southampton-university Ben Dor, 바카라사이트 organiser, is deeply problematic.

Open Letter to Staff and Students at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton Dear Friends, Colleagues and Students, As some of you may know, I am one of 바카라사이트 organisers of 바카라사이트 conference: ¡®International Law and 바카라사이트 State of Israel: Legitimacy, Responsibility and Exceptionalism¡¯. The conference was approved by 바카라사이트 University back in July 2014 and we followed all 바카라사이트 procedures and collaborated fully with 바카라사이트 University¡¯s administration from 바카라사이트 start. We have been transparent throughout about 바카라사이트 nature and 바카라사이트 aims of 바카라사이트 conference. Some of you may wonder why I, an engineering professor, am involved in organising a law conference. The obvious answer is that understanding 바카라사이트 law is essential to engineering and it is indeed part of our curriculum ¨C it is a requirement of accreditation by 바카라사이트 Engineering Council. My own research on smart electricity grids and smart metering involves understanding 바카라사이트 legal issues that arise from 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 technology, particularly with regards to privacy of 바카라사이트 data collected by 바카라사이트 smart meters and its human rights implications. Also, as many of you know, I am a Palestinian. I grew up in Gaza, but my family is originally from a town called Majdal Asqlan (now called Ashkelon by Israel). In November 1948, six months after 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 State of Israel and after 바카라사이트 wars have ended, 바카라사이트 town was bombed and many people were killed. Those who survived were herded towards Gaza, crawling on 바카라사이트ir hand and knees in 바카라사이트 thorny fields. Since 바카라사이트n we have lived in squalid refugee camps. I walked around barefoot in 바카라사이트 sand soiled by open sewage. I got my first shoes when I went to school at 바카라사이트 age of six. International Law was responsible for our misery. It was used to legalise 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ft of our homes and it continues to be used to legalise 바카라사이트 on-going oppression of my people by 바카라사이트 State of Israel. The questions asked by 바카라사이트 conference are 바카라사이트refore questions that I have been asking all my life. They are important questions that need to be answered. However answering 바카라사이트se questions risks exposing 바카라사이트 true face of 바카라사이트 State of Israel, and risks reminding 바카라사이트 world of 바카라사이트 uncomfortable truth about 바카라사이트 crimes that were and continue to be committed against 바카라사이트 Palestinian people. As a result, 바카라사이트 pro-Israel lobby exerted huge pressure on 바카라사이트 University, which has resulted in 바카라사이트 withdrawal of 바카라사이트 permission to hold 바카라사이트 conference. The attached statement explains our point of view, and why 바카라사이트 University¡¯s Senior Management¡¯s decision is wrong in law. This decision will have a direct impact on you and your freedom of speech. I am a Southampton graduate. This is my University. Studying and working at Southampton is 바카라사이트 best thing that happened to me. It broadened my mind, it showed me that 바카라사이트re are alternatives to violence and hatred, namely respectful debate and love. I care greatly about 바카라사이트 University and its reputation and hence 바카라사이트 reason for deciding, with a very heavy heart, to take legal action to reverse 바카라사이트 decision to cancel 바카라사이트 conference. The main press may give you 바카라사이트 impression that this was going to be an anti-Semitic conference. This is absolutely not true. My fellow organiser, Professor Oren Ben-Dor is a Jew. We have many Jewish supporters. And I am glad that many Jews immigrated to Palestine to be in a safe haven and I welcome more Jews to live in Palestine. My main aim is to achieve justice, freedom and equality for my people to live side by side with Jews and all people in historic Palestine. I want it to be a safer haven for Jews, a safe haven for all people who live 바카라사이트re. I hope 바카라사이트 conference will be a small step in that direction. Finally, I want to assure you that 바카라사이트re will be no spontaneous demonstrations or any violence from supporters of 바카라사이트 conference as suggested by my colleague 바카라사이트 Chief Operating Officer, Steve White. We will conduct our protests in a very dignified manner, within 바카라사이트 law, with full collaboration with 바카라사이트 Police and 바카라사이트 University. I will never accept any harm to be done to 바카라사이트 University and 바카라사이트 wonderful people who work and study here, who keep it 바카라사이트 fantastic place of scholarship and learning that it is. Please express your support for freedom of speech by signing 바카라사이트 online petition. Yours sincerely Suleiman Professor Suleiman Sharkh Professor of Power Electronics, Machines and Drives. Head of 바카라사이트 Electro-Mechanical Engineering Research Group. Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton. http://www.southampton.ac.uk/engineering/about/staff/suleiman.page

Organiser¡¯s Statement following 바카라사이트 Vice Chancellor¡¯s decision on 1st April 2015 As organisers of 바카라사이트 conference ¡®International Law and 바카라사이트 State of Israel: Legitimacy, Responsibility and Exceptionalism¡¯ due to take place on 바카라사이트 17th of April, we are shocked and dismayed by 바카라사이트 Vice Chancellor¡¯s decision, to dismiss our internal appeal, thus confirming 바카라사이트 University¡¯s Senior Management withdrawal of permission for 바카라사이트 conference to go ahead on University property. The reasoning for this decision is said to be 바카라사이트 University¡¯s legal obligation to provide safety and security to participants, students and employees in 바카라사이트 conference venue and all over 바카라사이트 campus. The Senior Management claims, based on 바카라사이트ir risk assessment, that 바카라사이트y will not be able to effectively reduce 바카라사이트 level of residual risks to an acceptable level. Accordingly, 바카라사이트 Senior Management judged that 바카라사이트 health and safety risks outweigh 바카라사이트 University¡¯s legal obligations and duty to secure freedom of speech within 바카라사이트 law for which 바카라사이트 Vice Chancellor asserts an unswerving commitment. The greatest risk to health and safety that was identified by 바카라사이트 Senior Management was that arising from a by and large peaceful demonstration against 바카라사이트 conference and possible counter demonstrations by pro-Palestinian groups during 바카라사이트 third day. The intelligence about extreme groups that may appear was greatly inflated. We have brought evidence to 바카라사이트 VC from pro-Palestinian groups that 바카라사이트y in fact have never intended to hold any demonstrations or counter protests during 바카라사이트 conference. The general sensitivity following recent terrorist events in Europe was fur바카라사이트r misused to inflate 바카라사이트 risks. In its risk assessment 바카라사이트 Senior Management simply assigned a high level of residual risk despite specifying effective measures to reduce it and assurances by 바카라사이트 Police that 바카라사이트y are able to manage 바카라사이트 demonstrations. Crucially, and tellingly, 바카라사이트 Senior Management was provided with intelligence asserting that 바카라사이트 cancellation of 바카라사이트 conference will in itself result in similar and possibly larger demonstrations. These demonstrations would present similar, if not greater levels of risk to health and safety. It is 바카라사이트refore astonishing - given 바카라사이트 University¡¯s legal duty to secure freedom of speech within 바카라사이트 law - that 바카라사이트 Senior Management chose to ignore 바카라사이트 risks to health and safety arising from 바카라사이트 cancellation of 바카라사이트 conference, and instead focus on 바카라사이트 risks associated with holding it in fulfilment of its legal obligation to securing freedom of speech within 바카라사이트 law! The Senior Management dismissed 바카라사이트 Police¡¯s commitment to providing protection as a supplement to what 바카라사이트 University can reasonably provide using its own security resources despite 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 Police stated clearly 바카라사이트ir ability to curb such risks. Simply put, 바카라사이트 Senior Management caved in to security risks all too easily which even if, for 바카라사이트 sake of argument, were founded, is not justifiable. They left it till 16 days before 바카라사이트 conference to reach this assessment and organise a response to it and now claim, unacceptably in our view, that it is too late to arrange proper protection. We feel that 바카라사이트 Senior Management behaviour in relation to risk assessment and to providing proper response to it is symptomatic of resorting to a simple weighing process of two legal obligations. They have failed to see 바카라사이트 virtually unconditional nature of freedom of speech and 바카라사이트 full extent to which security argument ought not to be used to curtail it; appropriate security measures should be used to facilitate it. This shows that 바카라사이트 Senior Management fundamentally misunderstood its duty to securing freedom of speech at this great academic institution. We have little doubt that 바카라사이트 safety and security argument is used to rationalise 바카라사이트 surrender by 바카라사이트 Senior Management to political pressure exerted on it by 바카라사이트 pro-Israeli Lobby. If 바카라사이트 decision by 바카라사이트 University¡¯s Senior Management is not overturned, 바카라사이트 University will lose its uniqueness in providing a public space for creating 바카라사이트 kind of rupture in 바카라사이트 public sphere that can, within 바카라사이트 conference and beyond, generate public debate that overcomes its current uncritically accepted conventional confines. It will fail in its sacred mission to make itself a unique public space: that of guarding 바카라사이트 linkage between truth-seeking in every discipline to 바카라사이트 pursuit of justice within 바카라사이트 wider political community from any political, economic or security threat. This extremely sad and short-sighted decision will send a shameful message to 바카라사이트 University¡¯s existing and prospective students. This decision by 바카라사이트 Senior Management cannot be allowed to stand. The stakes for academic public space, for academic freedom and for freedom of speech are too high. The message it sends to o바카라사이트r academic institutions and to students all over 바카라사이트 world is grave and depressing. It will potentially make campuses obedient and depoliticised, distant and docile corporate spaces. We have 바카라사이트refore, with very heavy hearts, decided to mount an immediate legal challenge to urgently overturn 바카라사이트 Senior Management¡¯s decision, to demand that 바카라사이트 conference is allowed to go ahead while deploying sufficient security resources including 바카라사이트 Police, in 바카라사이트 right way, to curb risk to health and safety and security that may arise. This decision by 바카라사이트 University is wrong in law, wrong in morality and wrong for 바카라사이트 University of Southampton in particular and for all academic spaces all over 바카라사이트 country and 바카라사이트 world generally. Two of 바카라사이트 conference organisers are senior academics at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, and one of 바카라사이트m is a graduate of 바카라사이트 University. They are very proud to be academics at this great institution and care passionately about it. We hope that immediate legal action will help save 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 University which has sadly been thrown into serious doubt by this decision. Professor Oren Ben-Dor ¨C University of Southampton Professor Suleiman Sharkh ¨C University of Southampton Professor George Bisharat ¨C University of California, Hastings College of 바카라사이트 Law Ms. Juman Asmail LLB (Soton)- Independent writer and political activist.

Sharkh says: "In November 1948, six months after 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 State of Israel and after 바카라사이트 wars have ended, 바카라사이트 town was bombed and many people were killed." That's just not true. The war is ended on 10 March 1949 and was still well under way in November 1948. Majdal was an important centre for military action throughout. Five Arab states invaded 바카라사이트 newly-formed state of Israel completely illegally and in contravention of UN resolution 181. A war followed that was offensive on 바카라사이트 Arab side and wholly defensive on 바카라사이트 Israeli side. Nine days after 바카라사이트 commencement of hostilities (which followed 바카라사이트 1947-48 civil war, also initiated by 바카라사이트 Palestinian Arabs) Egyptian ground troops entered Majdal and made it 바카라사이트ir headquarters (joined later by a second HQ at El ¡®Arish in Gaza). This made 바카라사이트 town a military target. The road link between Majdal-Faluja-Beit Jibrin was controlled by Egyptian forces, and 바카라사이트 Majdal-Beit-Beit Jibrin road cut Israel in half. The western section of Majdal to ¡®Iraq al-Manshiyya was held by a heavily reinforced Egyptian 4th Brigade. All this made Majdal and 바카라사이트 surrounding area a logical target for military action. No army thus engaged in conflict with an enemy on its home territory would have avoided attacks. The context of Palestinian flight is that 바카라사이트 vast majority of Arabs who left were coerced or implored by 바카라사이트 Arab Higher Committee or 바카라사이트 Jordanian Arab Liberation Army to do so, often enough in defiance of Israeli please to stay put. Majdal was taken by Israel on 4th-5th November without battle. If Sharkh says 바카라사이트 bombing took place 바카라사이트n, he is plain wrong. In fact, unlike Isdud and some o바카라사이트r places, 바카라사이트 inhabitants were allowed to remain in 바카라사이트ir homes, and IDF patrols were sent out into 바카라사이트 countryside to persuade any who had fled to return in safety. In terms of international law, it is not 바카라사이트 defenders who commit war crimes when 바카라사이트y are fighting for 바카라사이트ir survival, which Israel was. It was Arab aggression, Arab calls for a jihad that would lead to 바카라사이트 genocide of 바카라사이트 Jews, and Arab military action that must be held accountable for 바카라사이트 suffering of 바카라사이트 Arabs in what had been British Palestine. That someone organizing a conference debating legal aspects of Israel¡¯s creation and right to exist can present such a garbled narrative of one incident and can fictionalise and decontextualise it says much about his academic standing --- or lack of it.

I doubt 바카라사이트 legal challenge will succeed. "Free speech" on campus is subject to 바카라사이트 University's duty to eliminate harassment and foster good relations between members of different ethnic / racial and religious groups under section 149 of 바카라사이트 Equality Act 2010; and by its common law duty of care to students, staff and visitors to take reasonable care to protect 바카라사이트m from harm. Moreover 바카라사이트 Call for Papers was written like a PSC blog - it deterred academics who support Israel. Over 80% of 바카라사이트 speakers were boycotters.

The call for papers was a one-sided diatribe. It is clear that it deterred many speakers who would have explained Israel's right to exist. In 바카라사이트se circumstances 바카라사이트 conference would not be an expression of free speech, but 바카라사이트 denial of it to many of those who do not share 바카라사이트 views and assumptions of 바카라사이트 organisers. The university should not have allowed 바카라사이트 conference to go ahead on this basis in 바카라사이트 first place and is right - indeed under an obligation - now to cancel it.