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Bar Ilan Professor Hillel Weiss. (Archives)
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Last update - 18:48 13/08/2007
Professor says leftist 'terrorists' made him apologize for comments
By Haaretz Service

Professor Hillel Weiss, soon after submitting a written apology for disparaging remarks he made on an Israel Defense Forces commander last week, said on Monday that leftist "terrorist" pressure forced him to do so.

Weiss, a professor at Bar Ilan University, sent a letter apologizing for wishing death on IDF Hebron Brigade Commander Yehuda Fuchs during the forced evacuation of the Hebron wholesale market last week. The apology was addressed to IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Police Commissioner David Cohen.

Soon thereafter, he told Israel Radio that he had been forced to apologize by the president of the university, who in turn was being pressured by "Mapai terrorists."

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Weiss was filmed saying of Colonel Yehuda Fuchs, "I hope his mother will be bereaved, his wife will be a widow and his children orphans."

Moshe Kaveh, president of Bar-Ilan University, said in response that he regrets that "Professor Weiss knows how to curse and not to apologize," and that the two, in fact, had not spoken on the matter.

Earlier Monday, Kaveh had praised the apology, but said that the university would still consider trying Weiss in an internal disciplinary tribunal. Such a measure is rarely taken by universities.

Weiss will come before a committee headed by Professor Yaakov Neeman, chairman of the university's managing committee and a former justice minister, which will determine whether or not to try him.

Weiss, who had refused to apologize until now, wrote in the letter that he is sorry that "he sunk to using curses" and that he "apologizes for what he said in a fit of rage."

Weiss' death wish set off a wave of condemnations as well as calls to have him suspended from the university.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak approached Attorney General Menachem Mazuz last Thursday on the matter, requesting that Mazuz consider legal action. Ashkenazi ordered the chief army prosecutor to discuss the matter with Mazuz as well.

Later Thursday, Judea and Samaria District Police launched a criminal investigation against Weiss over the incident for suspected incitement.

Ashkenazi spoke to both Colonel Fuchs and his wife on the phone and gave them his full support. According to an army official, Ashkenazi told Fuchs that he was disgusted by Weiss' disparaging words.

"His statements were horrific and need condemnation and public denunciation... The university views his actions very gravely, and demands he take responsibility for them," Kaveh said.
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  1.   Where`s Dershowitz? 14:05  |  W 13/08/07
  2.   Ashkenazi - instead of going after Prof. Weiss 14:14  |  * BEN JABO 13/08/07
  3.   Right-wing professor deserve a kick in ...... 14:27  |  Daniel 13/08/07
  4.   When is an apology not an apology? 14:29  |  Josh Goldman 13/08/07
  5.   sending donations 14:39  |  henry 13/08/07
  6.   Aplogy 14:46  |  JordanisPalestine 13/08/07
  7.   Such disgusting people among us... 14:58  |  S 13/08/07
  8.   The Apology That Was Not An Apology 15:08  |  Tony Anthony 13/08/07
  9.   prof"aplogy" 15:09  |  scanadu 13/08/07
  10.   Professor Hillel Weiss 15:11  |  David Berg 13/08/07
  11.   Shame on you Bar Ilan 15:12  |  Kenny 13/08/07
  12.   Weiss/Baruch Goldstein - what`s the difference? 15:16  |  ussishkin 13/08/07
  13.   Tree 15:22  |  Avraham 13/08/07
  14.   Tali Fahima`s admirers want a "sincere" apology 15:40  |  Absolute Sweden 13/08/07
  15.   JOSH Goldman@4An apology from apologists for Arab terror is not. 15:44  |  PETER SM 13/08/07
  16.   #15- PETER SM- right on 16:07  |  peter 13/08/07
  17.   Right-wing professor apologizes for wishing IDF commander dead 16:12  |  Gerald Zang 13/08/07
  18.   #2 Ben Jabo re: Hillel Weiss (NS) 16:25  |  Gerald Zang 13/08/07
  19.   W, If I were Alan Dershowitz... 16:25  |  Akiva Patysh 13/08/07
  20.   A hollow meaningless apology and a... 16:29  |  Dutch Dirk 13/08/07
  21.   Professor Hillel Weiss 16:32  |  Gerald Zang 13/08/07
  22.   Excuses and excuses 16:43  |  Chris 13/08/07
  23.   Bar ilan the university that brought us Yiagl Amier 16:49  |  SJ 13/08/07
  24.   #18 Gerald Zang 16:56  |  * BEN JABO 13/08/07
  25.   Gerald Zang,is Weiss "more dangerous" than Ilan Pappe? 17:19  |  Absolute Sweden 13/08/07
  26.   Why don`t we Join the british and boycott Israls Institutions 17:46  |  Harry 13/08/07
  27.   #5 henry 17:52  |  Boycott 13/08/07
  28.   12. Weiss/Baruch Goldstein - what`s the difference? Nothing!! 17:59  |  Yariv the chiloni 13/08/07
  29.   So when is Ms. Olmert going to apologize? 18:12  |  Gee 13/08/07
  30.   Don`t make the right look like barbarians! 18:18  |  JewishHeart 13/08/07
  31.   Olmert`s daughter should go first 18:19  |  lisa 13/08/07
  32.   israel is a banana republic 18:22  |  david 13/08/07
  33.   Lashon HaRah 18:23  |  JewishHeart 13/08/07
  34.   Fire every anti Zionism Professor 18:26  |  Mordechai 13/08/07
  35.   Prof. Weiss 18:29  |  Marvls 13/08/07
  36.   Wishes and Invocations 18:35  |  Shmuel Bar Yaakov Se 13/08/07
  37.   Weiss sounds like a bigger fool every time he opens his mouth 18:41  |  Natallie Durson 13/08/07
  38.   #23 is there a distinction for a left wing fanatic! 18:43  |  victor hardman 13/08/07
  39.   If this monster is teaching our youths how can we object 18:47  |  S 13/08/07
  40.   I just love the crucifixion symbolism 18:49  |  heinz 13/08/07
  41.   23. Bar ilan the university that brought Yial Amier. REALY?? 19:05  |  Alon 13/08/07
  42.   Why is Yaacov Neeman a professor? 19:10  |  Law Professor 13/08/07
  43.   Idiotic Utterances, Professorism & Lack Of Integrity 19:20  |  Brad 13/08/07
  44.   the left 19:23  |  Mark 13/08/07
  45.   # 35 19:37  |  Jacob 13/08/07
  46.   When is a Gholdman not a Goldman 19:39  |  Herbert Kaine 13/08/07
  47.   He should apologize. 20:09  |  Chick 13/08/07
  48.   Demonstration of lack of wisdom 20:10  |  Mark 13/08/07
  49.   #39 S "our children" 20:10  |  * BEN JABO 13/08/07
  50.   Thin Veneer 20:10  |  Robert 13/08/07
  51.   To Yariv: about Weiss/Goldstein 20:10  |  John 13/08/07
  52.   For the sake of "Bar Ilan" - this "proffesor" must go 20:14  |  Tal 13/08/07
  53.   Weiss 20:16  |  paul 13/08/07
  54.   re: Gerald Zang 20:20  |  Efox 13/08/07
  55.   Bar Ilan cmte decides! `Weiss curses not harsh enough.` 20:22  |  Bar Ilan Professor 13/08/07
  56.   Thought Police Threaten To Kill People Who Speak 20:23  |  Efox 13/08/07
  57.   No. 19 20:31  |  W 13/08/07
  58.   #37 Natallie Durson 20:35  |  Sarah 13/08/07
  59.   If said in the US 20:37  |  W 13/08/07
  60.   EDUCATED IDIOT 20:58  |  SM 13/08/07
  61.   HEY BARAK - GET AHMEDINEJAD TO APOLOGIZE FIRST! 20:59  |  SOLLY 13/08/07
  62.   A vile man in our midst 21:03  |  Esther 13/08/07
  63.   It is immoral to ethnically cleanse Judea 21:04  |  David 13/08/07
  64.   Bar Ilan is also a bastion of hardline leftwing professors .. 21:05  |  Joe 13/08/07
  65.   For JewishHeart #33 21:07  |  Esther 13/08/07
  66.   Re Natallie Durson #37 21:12  |  Esther 13/08/07
  67.   #39 21:17  |  pace306 13/08/07
  68.   Should we start from the left-wing extremists? 21:25  |  a Jew 13/08/07
  69.   To SM #60 21:36  |  paul 13/08/07
  70.   Another professor proves intelligent does not confer commonsense 22:27  |  PETER SM 13/08/07
  71.   BEN JABO #49 22:38  |  S 13/08/07
  72.   THE MORE THESE EXTREMISTS EXPOSE THEIR TRUE FACE THE BETTER 22:46  |  davidg 13/08/07
  73.   Re *BEN JABO #24 23:10  |  Esther