Education minister vows to punish Israeli professors who back academic boycott
Gideon Sa'ar says government will act during the summer against academics who joined call for Israel boycott.
By Or KashtiA few days after saying he intends to take action against Israeli professors who call for an academic boycott of Israel, Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar is scheduled to appear on Monday before the Knesset Education Committee to discuss the limits of freedom of expression in schools.
Sa'ar refused to provide Haaretz with details of what action he plans to take. His statements, made in the Knesset plenum Wednesday, "speak for themselves," a spokesperson said.
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Education Minister Gideon Saar |
| Photo by: Haaretz |
The comments came some time after Ben-Gurion University Professor Neve Gordon, a vocal proponent of an academic boycott against Israel, received a death threat through the mail.
The principals of two Tel Aviv high schools, Zeev Dagani and Ram Cohen, who have publicly criticized the government's policies in the territories, have also been invited to today's committee meeting.
Dagani, the principal of the Herzliya Gymnasia high school, has publicly opposed Sa'ar's plan to send Israel Defense Forces officers into classrooms to encourage students to enlist in the army, and Cohen has often lectured his students about the Israeli occupation.
The panel will also discuss the Islamic Movement's influence on students in Arab schools.
In last week's comments, Sa'ar said it was "important to examine the issues" raised in a report by on-campus Zionist advocacy group Im Tirtzu that alleges that anti-Zionist trends have taken root in political science instruction at Israel's universities. However, Sa'ar would not say whether he would indeed look into the accusations.
Sa'ar's statements were part of a discussion in the Knesset plenum initiated by MKs Uri Ariel (National Union ) and Yulia Shamalov Berkovich (Kadima ) on the issue of "the post-Zionist takeover of Israeli academia." The discussion was prompted by the Im Tirtzu report, which stated that 80 percent of the research papers taught at political science courses in Israeli universities are "anti-Zionist and anti-nationalist." The report was roundly criticized by academics and public figures, but Im Tirtzu officials said they stood behind the study.
"Israeli academia apparently suffers from 'Palestinomania,' a mild psychological illness whose symptoms include self-hatred, an affinity for Israel's enemies, Jewish anti-Semitism and/or anti-Zionism," Shamalov Berkovich said in the Knesset. "The spread of 'Palestinomania' demands the immediate and painful treatment for all of our sake, and the sooner the better."
Ariel called on Sa'ar to establish a ministerial inquiry to probe the accusations contained in Im Tirtzu's report.
Sa'ar said: "I think that the Im Tirtzu report is important in the sense that it generates public debate. It is important to examine the issues raised in the report."
In his statements to the plenum, Sa'ar referred specifically to professors who have backed calls to boycott Israeli universities.
"This is something that is impossible to accept," Sa'ar said. "I have already spoken about this with the head of the Higher Education Council's planning and budgeting committee [Manuel Trajtenberg], and there will be measures taken vis-a-vis the heads of these institutions. This matter is on our agenda - and we plan on taking action over the course of the summer."
Ariel seemed to understand Sa'ar as saying he plans to investigate the charges. His office released a statement reading: "The education minister said that he plans on thoroughly probing the charges made by Im Tirtzu this coming summer."
A spokesperson for Trajtenberg refused to comment when reached by Haaretz, deferring to Sa'ar's office.
"It would behoove the education minister to ignore the report, which emits an aroma of McCarthyism," said Professor Yossi Ben-Artzi, the rector of the University of Haifa. "I hope he will understand the gravity of the very fact of monitoring and informing on lecturers, and of whether he even needs to take seriously an organization like Im Tirtzu, which causes incitement." Earlier this year Sa'ar took part in a conference organized by Im Tirtzu. "I place great importance in this gathering," he said. "Campus activism is hugely vital, and this is what you are doing. For this, you will be blessed." "I very much appreciate this work, which gives expression to an authentic Zeitgeist felt by the public and is much needed on our campuses," Sa'ar said of Im Tirtzu. "I came to tell you: God speed."
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Isn’t Israel the only “democracy” in the Middle-East? Look how good its brave government does care for freedom of expression and speech!
you don't have to agree with the (very very few) israeli academics who support academic boycotts of israel, but you must not punish them for expressing their point of view. this is rudimentary and fundamental. how far are we from the day i have to submit the syllabuses of the courses i teach to a committee that will assess their suitability for israeli students?
If the state pays your wages, you do not diss the state. Get your own money, dude. Go to a private universtiy.
The few pro-boycott, left wing Professors have tenure and long term job security of their salaries and hefty fringe benefits from the State of Israel , that they endeavour to boycott!! Why you do not boycott your salaries? Why you do not think about the majority of your colleagues that are against boycott? What about the future of your students? These are mad anarchists and should be treated as such!
This is what authors of literature and political sciences have always done. It is the duty of every citizen to stop the state when they get on the wrong track. These brave professors are only doing their duty as loyal citizens of a country, unfortunately, following a dangerous slope.
It's like an attack against the state.
then came "Gleichschaltung", the end of academic freedom op expression, then came war, and then ...
They used to do that in the Soviet Union. Trying to make the Russian immigrants feel at home?
The Brits have apologised for the abuse of the universal jurisdiction rule that has kept Israeli leaders from landing in the UK and has pledged to change the rules. They have a lot more sense than the Israeli pro-boycotters who would end all discussion and interaction. Indoctrination is not academic freedom and those abusing their positions to indoctrinate should not be receiving government salaries.
There are enough anti-Zionists, anti-Israelis and anti-Semites here in the diaspora without loony Left Israeli academics coming to join their ranks. Almost every proposed boycott here in London has been led by Israelis or Jews, giving the impression that Israelis are deeply opposed to Israel and encouraging others to share that view. To some extent Israel is still technically at war with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and these loonies help Israel's enemies.
He said punish Israeli professors who are involved in academic research which is not loyal to Israeli nationalism and Zionism... can you smell the blossom of dark ages? Is anybody there to save us from the Jewish totalitarianism?
Let's start with you. Think you can be cured?
According to google semitic languages are spoken by approximately 467,000,000 people from Saudi Arabia all the way across the top band of Africa to the Atlantic Coast, including the island of Malta too. An interesting paranoid form of obsolete faulty logic you possess .
Bear in mind that this is the very same Neve Gordon who just camne out in SUPPORT of the violent terror attack against IDF troops by the flotilla terrorists and Islamofascists!!
Think about it.
Gideon Sa'ar would seem to want to be a recruiting sergeant for the academic boycott internationally. He could be really successful!
More so, they do irreparable damage to the name and the stability of the rest of Israeli academia, most academics whom are vehemently against any form of academic boycott, regardless of their political stripes. It hurts people on the left. It hurts people on the right. It hurts everyone. An academic boycott will feed down the "food chain" and effects universities and their ability to provide quality education to students. Why not call on an academic boycott and close down university studies to students in solidarity with this or that political viewpoint? If seeing it from the students' point of view, the idiocy of backing an academic boycott becomes immediately apparent. And those of you who are students or want to be students, beware - this threat will become very real should our local pro-boycotters gain international backing. It doesn't matter your political viewpoint! As someone with a license to drive a car thinks he/she should have the freedom to drive wherever they so desire, it must be within a framework of rules that does not undermine the system or other people around you. These pro-boycott activist are anarchists akin to drivers of cars who think that they have the right not to heed to traffic signals and use their so called "rights of freedom of expression" to knock down pedestrians at will. They should be thrown out of the institutions that gave them positions.
A university is a place where people are encouraged to think by themselves. It also encourages the use of a critical mind. It is not supposed to be a medium for state propaganda. What you propose is totalitarian rule.
I love how when the basic premise of this state becomes unfeasible and indefensible, instead of examining the state, the state examines people's brains for concluding there is a problem. They make it sound like making rational humanist conclusions is a disease. Formally a democracy or not, Israel is one of the most irrational nations in world.
On the other hand, my opinion is that these professors show no amount of loyalty to the country they live, work and receive benefits in. I would not want my child listening to any country bashing from a professor. There is a fine line between teaching, preaching, propaganda and brainwashing. To Boycott is crossing the fine line.
Those who claim freedom of speech and expect a fat paycheck every month from the same people they want to be boycotted are delusional. Freedom of speech does not include demands for boycots of their own institutions nor own country, if they fail to see the line between treason and being critical of their own country they will have to find it out the hard way. Fire those who demand boycots of Israel is my advise.
What's the deal here with these self hating Jews? Most of their screeds look like David Duke to me --no one would take them seriiosuly if they didn't have Jewish names. They just repeat all the canards the neo nazis started. The Holocaust is exagerrated, Jews lie, Jews stole land,blood libel, Jewish elites control the world bla bla bla... etc. Then we have some Jewish academics who go even further than neo nazis, and claim the Jewish people were invented. What is the anhialationist wish these men have? Freud would have a great time with them -- but since he was Jewish, they probably would have rejected him too....( ! )
Im Tirtzu and the Government are in obvious collusion to promote an agenda of de-democratization. It is chilling and it is a continuation of anti-democratic agenda's by the Knesset, the Government and extreme right organizations to stifle dissent.
These academics are employed by the state and by private institutions. If they harm their own, they are subject to being dismissed. THAT is how democracy works as well.
these subversive traitors should be excoriated from Academia!
Just wondering why my comments do not get published?
Our next step is to establish national re education camps for those who disagree with government policy. We will confine all traitors in these camps until they see the errors of their ways. On the way to these camps we will march them through the cities and towns of Israel in chains so that the entire population will see what happens to those who disagree with us. If they refuse to be re-educated, well then, you know what happens to traitors...
criticizing illegal actions by the israeli government should not be grounds to be persecuted on! these people are training our children in matters of law and morality, why should we be silencing them when they speak the truth? the government is getting ridiculously mccarthy-like lately.
criticisng the Govt is one thing, but going around the world encouraging a boycott of Israeli academia while enjoying the status of an academic and getting a nice salary, is just mentally and morally disturbing.Even Woody Allen is not that crazy.
Israel has better morality than these stupid traitors. In any muslim country they would have been executed or spending some time in prison. We don't to fund those idiots and support their lies. Israel is a strong state and will do what ever is necessary to stay strong. either the world likes it or not.
there is nothing illegal about what israel is doing, stop regurgitating Comintern and Jihadist lies..
Dear Eli, either you are naive or uninformed. The problem is professor's exploiting the teacher's lecturn for expounding and propagating their lefty views and agendas. They do not teach but propagandize, like the communist commissars. There is no room for teaching morals in a political science department. Morality is a student's personal matter. The professor's function is to teach "political science (?)" not what they and their cronies think is the "truth." They should teach objective analysis, balanced perspectives, present a spectrum of views, allow students to express their impressions without penalizing them for being conrary to their own views. Yea, there is a difference between propaganda and teaching. The first isbrainwashing, lies and immorality the other tries to approach truth and help to make a moral judgement. McCarthyism was a sad story -a paranoia. The mania of left's activism in universities is an ugly usurption of freedom of speech-a tragedy.
the blockade of gaza, occupation of golan/west bank/gaza, internment of palestinians without trial are all indeed illegal. "jihadist"? not really.
Blockade of Gaza... NOT illegal. Rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel. Occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and Golan, also NOT illegal. These territories were captured in a war declared by the Arab nations surrounding Israel. Gaza, the West Bank, and part of the Golan never even belonged to those countries -- but all Jews were kicked out of those territories. THAT was illegal. Capturing combatants and holding them without trial is also NOT illegal. Anti-Israelis are stupid.
Neither the blockade of Gaza nor the occupation of the West Bank is illegal. The British, the UN and Ehud Barak have all offered the PA a realistic state and the PA has refused each offer. The UN calls for 'agreed borders' and these have not yet been agreed. Israel accepts the two state view.
who says political science teachers do what you imagine they do? have you spent any time in a political science class recently? this is exactly the kind of ignorance that is going to fuel this macarthyism
is not illigal after the wars the arabs forced on Israel. Anexiation would be illigal according to international laws and for one thing this has not been internationally recogniced. But just you try to be academically critical to the political sytem in most of the worlds muslim countries and you would be wanting to live in Israel!
If you wish to boycott your employer (the Israeli Govt.) as all the Israeli universities are funded by the Govt. , then fair enough, the Government will boycott the boycotters. FIND YOURSELF ANOTHER JOB. Perhaps employment in an Arab university, Iran or Turkey. Overthere as you know there is full freedom of expression.