After banned by Israel, Chomsky to give Bir Zeit lecture by video from Amman

After Finkelstein was denied entry in Israel in 2008, Chomsky had to achieve the same level of leftish hights. It took him 2 years of training and planning (one has to be sure of being denied entry or else - one has to bear the eternal shame of being allowed to enter). I wonder what Finkelstein's next move will be. Maybe it would have been smarter to enroll Chomsky to the I.D.F. by "buraucratic mistake".

Looks like Israel's quietly begun the Academic Boycott.

Chomsky really is God's chosen who has the ability to bring peace for Israel and Palestine!

Or is it one state already?

liberals love to argue that free speech trumps hate speech. I say they're wrong. chomsky is out of touch, bitter, self loathing and really a twisted freak who uses his MIT cache to talk about subjects far from his discipline and in which he knows exceptionally little in terms of real facts. real history, real events....being a jew from MIT has somehow given this man some freakish sort of credibility in certain circles...it's truly sick. To anyone who wants to read a good book about this nonsense taking place all across america, read horowitz' book called the 101 most dangerous professors...read it. Liberals curiously though will seek to restrict free speech when it comes from the common sense "right"...

Israel is exercizing the same right England used to deny entry to Welders. And for all Johnboys here claiming he did not want to visit Israel,read this: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/after-denied-entry-to-west-bank-chomsky-likens-israel-to-stalinist-regime-1.290736

Funny, when Michael Savage or Geert Wilders are forbiden access to the UK, no one is shocked. When a guy dedicated to the destruction of a country is refused entry in that country, hell breaks loose

This story is getting lots of international play, including interviews. Israel is not coming off well at all. Wonder why.

The Israeli interior ministry is run by Shas, the Haredi (Ultra Orthodox) party, and it seems to be running in conformity with that party's ideology. Shas runs an educational system that encourages youngsters to study Talmud, not modern topics, and do it for the rest of their lives. not even doing military service and certainly not studying in a university which for them is just a source of dangerous heretical views. Once Shas students graduate from the school, they are so backward educationally that no university can admit them anymore. Shas would truly be delighted to have a world boycott against Israeli Academia. It will even support their claims about the uselessness of universities. To see how the interior ministry operates, just look at recent examples. An Israeli man fathered twins from a woman in India (by artificial insemination). For weeks he has been denied permission to bring them to Israel. The problem: He is homosexual and the children are goyim, so for Shas they better disappear in India. Another example is the five Druzes who were allowed to visit relatives in Syria, and now the interior ministry wouldn't let them come back home. Shas doesn't want gentiles in Eretz Yisrael of course, so perhaps the Syrian government will take the "deportees" and their families too.

Israel has made a serious mistake here. Keep in mind that Al Jazeera often reports from Israel soil, and caused more damage to the Israeli image in front of international viewers, (particularly during the last ill biased coverage during military operations in Gaza) that 100 Chomkies

Put forth like some kind of neutral voice - some kind of maverick - some kind of lone righteous idealog amidst a world of governments who just have not grown up enough to recognize his genius... Chomsky is devoid of equity and balance altogether. Ardently anti truth, I am quite sure that if he held views opposed to a muslim country like he does Israel, they would hunt him down and kill him - not just deny him an opportunity to offend them in person on their own soil. Honestly, who do you think you're kidding?

Gene Sharp advised the Palestinians to embrace non violence. Chomsky analyzes and condemns Israeli defensive steps but all has to be viewed in the context of the Tehran supported violence. Palestinians need real friends. Chomsky is another matter. He is in the class of Uri Avnery.

It just gets worse and worse and Israel gets it less and less. Pathetic.

A border guard overstepped his authority and the case should have been handled by the military because he was visiting the west bank. This was a buerocratic mishap and chomsky has used it to smear israel. Israel said chomsky could visit but he wouldn't return because he would rather smear israel instead of returning and proving that it was a mistake.

Israel shot itself in the foot with refusing Noam Chomsky in. The media coverage of this stupid act is great, let the world know what Israel is up to.

Great what happened, now the whole world learns more of the situation Israel tries so hard to hide.

Prof. Chomsky could have entered "Israel" by exercising his right of return as a Jew or could he? He could have obtained tax exemptions on a new 4X4 car, subsidized housing, or free housing in a settlement, immediate health insurance and national insurance benefits and tenure at the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus. But then again, Prof. Chomsky understands what Israel is all about and prefers to stay an American citizen boycotted by all the Zionist organizations over there.

if a guy wishes to enter your home and say he support the ones who killed your family in the holocaust, and those who bomb your kids today, well, its polite enough to tell him "speak what you want but please do it elsewhere". There is a difference between "freedom of speech" and "freedom to be invited wherever I want".

. So, instead of giving a lecture at Birzeit University Chomsky's speech will be broadcast around the world by Al Jazeera. Very smart move by the border police. Who needs an academic boycott when Israel is doing such a good job of isolating itself? And the clowns running Israel's government are funnier than any clown from Spain

Most academics have not supported the call for an academic boycott on Israel. But a story like this is just what they need to change their mind. Well done, Bibi!

I just happen to be reading Chomsky's book Power and Terror, where he maintains Isreal is just a U.S. military outpost. From this standpoint, it's more than possible that the guards at the gate where just obeying orders from their masters in the U.S.

What was his explanation for the refusal to let Chomsky in then?

No wonder the PA agreed to resume talks with Israel. Israel is self-destructing, all the Pals have to do is just sit, watch and wait. And when it happens, they can tell the world, look, we were working on peace when it happened! It is rather ironic that the extremist Jews of Israel and the extremist Muslims of the Arab world are both the happiest they've been in ages! But perhaps one seems to have longer foresight than the other.

This Chomsky incident might become the parade example for why Israeli universities should be boycotted. A renowned academic is denied the ability to lecture in a recognized college under Israeli control. Chomsky is not a terrorist, obviously, so the denial of entry must have been based on his political opinions. If "measure for measure" carries any weight in the real world, the same can be done to Israel: Prevent academics from lecturing there based on political considerations.

Truth is Israel's enemy.

Elvis Costello joins Israel boycott and wont come here.

I wouldn't assume that Israel is not in favor of cutting any communication mediums to prevent Chomsky from giving his lecture. Well, that nothing compared to denying him entry! Everything is possible in Israel, especially recently!

...and so is Israel. Israel and its daily "the sky is falling" nonsense. It's worn too thin. It's no longer useful. Even Israel's staunchest allies are turning away in disgust at what Israel has become. Of course Israelis for the most part don't even know this because they are not told the truth.

Even politicans need to be careful and check if their words have any basis in Reality! When Netanyahu's spokeperson Mr. Regev said that the idea that Israel prevents people critical of Israel is ludicrious what did he mean? Then why Mt Chomsky denied entry if not for the "ludicruous reason"? If there is a good reason for the denial I would like to hear it.

Chomsky is a despicable person: few years ago he prefaced the book of a french professor, Alain Faurisson who denied the existence of the gas chambers during the holocaust.

Let Chomsky speak what he wants to speak and let civilised people decide what he says is good or bad for Israel and Middle East and for that matter for Globale peace.

Chomsky is not coming to ISRAEL .. he was coming to Palestine .. of course narrow minded need basic geopolitical education .. He, however, was not the first and LAST academics to deny entry .. Academics are systematically banned from lecturing and work at Palestinian universities ... you know why of course SECURITY REASONS .. a ready to go life long recipe for shutting mouths and restricting academic freedom. It is a sad also that the U.S. nowadays follow the same recipe to deny entry visas, undescrimentally

Civilized nation should not afraid of veiws of person like Chomsky. Let people decide whether views are good or bad for the nation.

Broadcast on Al-Jazeera, conference from Amman. What's next, showoff of Ahmadinejad's bombs?

What is odder than the decision is the absence of joined up government ir represents All your people seem to have different agendas.

It is very difficult not to sympathize with his answer to Israeli authorities, when they said to him his ideas were not liked by government here: "tell me of one government who likes them". He is so extreme that even if you dont agree, you have to recognize his singular existence. Now that is something, something opposed to the trends. If Chomsky is admired, I am not sure if 30% of his admirers do not know his writings. Singularity is not tolerated, no matter what color it has.

The force of a democracy can be measured by the level she can support her oww critic.In this case,the State of Israel,is at least going rapidly to a non-democratical State.Preventing Chomsky to enter Israel because of his ideas is not less that a totalitarian decision that disgraces the inheritance of the ancient valuues of a Jewish State.

Preventing such an accomplished scholar and critic from lecturing is an act against free speech. Israel should think twice before she does such erroneous acts.

Noam Chomsky is not against Jews, nor against Israel. He, and many (really many) others criticize the totalitarian policy followed by the Israeli government. I am surprised many cannot make the difference between these two nuances. The fact that he himself is a Jew does not make him a traitor. And by denying him entry, the only thing you show is that you have reached the limits of your ability to debate him. In other words, you indirectly admit that he is right. So believes the world. And all your bla bla about "Arab countries not being better" is such a lame excuse. You should compare yourselves to what is better, not what is worse... This is the only way to be able to prgress, won't you say?

So, what happened to them? I guess those are only relevant to Mohammed Cartoonist. What a shame!!! What a country Israel is becoming!! So, are you still bragging about democracy, freedom and etc etc???

Let him criticize his Jordanian hosts with his usual "candor" and see what the reaction is. Indeed, at 81, Chomsky looks for two whipping posts to beat, Israel and the US. Dictatorships? Emeriates? Kingdoms? President's for life? No need to worry when there is a Jewish state to tilt at.

Goverment of China, Sudan, Lybia, Syria, Venezuela, Iran, Lebanon, Burma, also Saddam Hussein, also former Soviet Union: he never said a word against them and most of them were warmly praised by Chomsky

All of us have our own 'truths", Unsure people sem not easily able to stand, neither hear, neither read, neither contemplate, neither dialogue the 'other's thruths'. But when such attitudes start undermining or get incorporated into mainstream and the leaders thinking , then we all can see the slide down towards oppressive tyranical and fanatical regimes. I 've always thought -or wished- Israel being above these murky low grounds. These last years, I ve start to doubt its inner and outer moral backbone.

Chomsky believes in Israel and the two state solution which makes him a supporter of colonialism and apartheid in the eyes of many pro-Palestinian supporters. Chomsky is too right wing for the enemies of Israel.

The truth?

...not wanted here, as one wouldn't invite to her/his home an enemy of the family owning the home and/or residing in it. Chomsky is not an exception. He is not only a critic of Israel but one who objects to its very existence and he has been collaborating with some of Israel's most mortal enemies. As such, the Jewish people whose nation-state Israel is and the authorities in Israel don't want Chomsky in our country. If he wants to spew his hate via video, he may. But note the amount of venom he will use in that presentation by singling out the Jewish people and its national home...!!

Chomsky is so sure that he is always correct and so obsessed with his own fame that I would say his world view has almost crossed the bounds of reality. e.g. Cambodia. For years he denied the atrocities there. In his mind any enemy of the USA can do no wrong. Now that evidence for the Pol Pot murders is incontrovertible he still manages to come an anti-American spin on it. As for the Cold War, there is ample room to argue that America was extreme in some of its actions. However, to read Chomsky you would think that there was no enemy on the other side tbat might explain, if not excuse their actions. To Chomsky America is just pure evil. He is a despicable person. But let hikm speak.

The marketplace of ideas works best of all.

all of this neocon behavior on israel's part seriously worries me. this, combined with the recent article about the growing idf haredim and shrinking of secular values... i dunno, man. i recently read in the ny book review (http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/jun/10/failure-american-jewish-establishment/) that a similar shift in jewry will soon happen here in america as well. in one or two generations we are going to be--as a collective society--less liberal than our own grandparents. this surely cannot be a good thing. i think that people might do well to recall that most of our culture's proudest moments (and best minds) were produced when we didn't shut ourselves away from the evil outside world, what with their dissenting opinions and whatnot. a homogeneous society with homogeneous opinions is not the answer... chomsky and people like him should be allowed to speak wherever they want so as long as they do not promote violence.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman Mark Regev told the New York Times yesterday that the idea that Israel prevents people critical of the government from entering is "ludicrous," and "it's not happening." What is ludicrous is Regev's comment and his ability to lie without blinking an eye.

Israel once again shows how stupid it is. How can barring a critic and a Jew accomplish anything except to show Israel does NOT allow free speech? This is like handing material to anti-Semites (unless Bibi & Co, really are anti-Semites).

I'm sitting here in NYC reading the news from various sources and this Chomsky ban is not going over very well anywhere. Do you know how stupid and totalitarian you look? What happened to free speech and the free and open exchange of ideas and opinions? Have you lost your minds? How did this happen?

remember the debate in Canada 50 years ago

He's just a bastard looking for his own image and self-interest. He should bark from his hometown in the US.

The denial of Chomsky to speak at a university isn't a human rights issue. Because the denial doesn't prevent him from expressing his views. It's a question of security, incitement and provocation. And the Palestinian - Israeli conflict doesn't need any further provocation. Settlers and the Israeli ultra-right activists like Itamar Ben-Gvir, Areyh Eldad or Nadia Matar... do that job well enough. There’s absolutely no purpose inviting ultra-left-wing dialogue into this conflict. What’s needed instead... are pragmatic voices to advance a two state discourse. Where incitement is diminished, the Palestinians get a state... and the Israelis have peace and security.

Apparently reality must take a back seat to what comes out of the mouth of some dimwit in the PMO.

I'm sure the Hamas government and Pal Authority like it.

I wish there would be at least ONE Arab intellectual who would be the "Chomsky" in their side and would go to Tel Aviv University to critizice in a speech any action of any Arab government or group that he does not agree with. Or is it that Arab countries and groups are so perfect that there is no need of any criticism?

tell me who are your friends, and I will tell who you are. Noam chomsky is operating outside his profession and outside the field of linguistics and therefore his opinions are of no interest.

I would like to see some other governments in the region allow entry to critics to speak against them! only Israel must allow critics????