Breaking Israel News: 5,000 American Academics Boycott Israel

Editor's Note: Education without truth is stupidity. Steve Martin 

5,000 American Academics 

Boycott Israel

Posted by: Ayal Kellman December 17, 2013

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When thou smitest a scorner, the simple will become prudent; and when one that hath understanding is reproved, he will understand knowledge. (Proverbs 19:25)

America’s oldest and largest educational association approved this week a boycott of Israeli universities. The American Studies Association (ASA), a 5,000 member association of interdisciplinary cultural and historical scholars is calling on American universities to end cooperation with Israeli institutions. Despite acknowledging that there are other countries with worse human rights records, the ASA has singled out Israel for their boycott. Here are eight reactions to the boycott, tell us what you think in the comments below:

1) Ron Dermer, Israeli Ambassador to the United States

(Photo: Facebook)

“Rather than standing up for academic freedom and human rights by boycotting countries where professors are imprisoned for their views, the ASA chooses as its first-ever boycott to boycott Israel, the sole democracy in the Middle East, in which academics are free to say what they want, write what they want and research what they want,”

2)  Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Professor

(Photo: Screenshot)

“You would think that historians and others who belong to the American Studies Association would understand that in light of the history of discrimination against Jews, you can’t just pick the Jewish state and Jewish universities as the place to “start” and stop….Shame on those members of the American Studies Association for singling out the Jew among nations. Shame on them for applying a double standard to Jewish universities. Israeli academic institutions are strong enough to survive this exercise in bigotry.”

3) Abe Foxman, Anti Defamation League Director

(Photo: Wiki Commons)

“This shameful, morally bankrupt and intellectually dishonest attack on academic freedom by the American Studies Association should be soundly condemned by all who are committed to the ideal that open exchange of ideas is the most effective way to achieve change. Targeting Israeli institutions solely because they are in Israel — the only democratic country in the Middle East where scholarship and debate are encouraged and flourish — is based on a myopic and fundamentally distorted perspective of Israel and the conflict and is manifestly unjust.”

4) Ronald S. Lauder, World Jewish Congress President

(Photo: World Jewish Congress)

“…[the vote] shows the Orwellian anti-Semitism and moral bankruptcy of the American Studies Association…The American Studies Association singles out the Jewish state, the one Middle Eastern country that shares American values, for opprobrium? No wonder many Americans dismiss the academy as deeply biased and disconnected with reality.”

5) Geri Palast, Director of The Israel Action Network

(Photo: Facebook)

“The Israel Action Network is troubled that members of the American Studies Association voted to support a boycott of Israeli academic institutions that directly violates the strongly held principle of academic freedom…”The resolution, which purports to support academic freedom in which scholars are free to pursue ideas without being targeted for repression, discipline, or institutional censorship, in actuality urges a sweeping boycott of Israeli academic institutions based on tortured logic, factual inaccuracies and distortions of the role of Israel’s universities, public and private, in the implementation of government policy.”

6) Lawrence Summers, Former Harvard President

(Photo: Wiki Commons)

“I think academic boycotts, on principle, are abhorrent,” Summers stated. “The way to change behavior if you don’t like it is to talk to people, not to isolate them.”

7) Professor Manuel Trajtenberg, Tel Aviv University

(Photo: Wiki Commons)

“It’s almost like a betrayal in the family. It’s very grave and very saddening that this happens, particularly so in the U.S.,”

8) Yaakov Peri, Minister of Science and Technology

(Photo: Facebook)

“The decision does not differentiate, and even links between, the expression of political opinion and the undertaking of scientific endeavors. It is an inappropriate act which does not befit the American Studies Association…The main victim here is the concept of universal science [itself], which has the ability to connect people of different ethnicities, nationality and political opinions – and should stay that way.”

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Online University Confronts Anti-Israel Bias

By Julie Stahl and Chris Mitchell,  CBN News Jerusalem Bureau

Monday, December 09, 2013

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JERUSALEM, Israel -- In today's Middle East, it seems that fewer young people stand up for Israel. A new online university hopes to changed that by providing both Jewish and Christian students with a better understanding of the Jewish state.

Israel is under siege at American universities and at campuses around the world.

"Israel really doesn't meet the requirements of a legitimate state," Keren Redleaf, founding member of the Coalition for Palestinian Rights, said.

Now a course from Jerusalem Online University gives students and others the tools to fight back.

"We are trying to give a perspective on not just the history of the ancient modern State of Israel, but also on the biblical, prophetic connection between the modern Jewish people and the Bible, how the ancient history connects with the modern, where it's going," Rabbi Ken Spiro told CBN News.

 "The Israel Course, the Biblical, Historical and Modern Perspective," is a seven-part movie course that condenses the history and contribution of the Jewish people.

"We're dealing with such a complex situation and people tend to have very little information on and we know the media can be very, very biased," Spiro said.

Rabbi Ken Spiro, one of the film's creators, says they're taking a holistic approach on politics, religion and philosophy.

"We show one of our movies, "Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference," it's such a dynamic, creative, positive force in history, yet why Israel has been, the Jewish [people] have been, the most hated people in human history…."

"When people think about Israel, they think about war or religion or even falafel," Dr. Tal Ben Shahar, filmmaker and former Harvard University lecturer, told CBN News.

The Israel Inside course focuses on modern Israel, its advances and contributions to the world.

"But to me, when I think about Israel, I think about the triumph of the human spirit. Israelis, surrounded by enemies, turned the desert -- with hardly any natural resources -- into a flourishing, caring and productive society," Shahar said.

"In recent years, the Jewish people's connection to the Land of Israel has become somewhat of a contentious issue," Spiro explained. "But in fact every year more and more archaeology is unearthed that clearly demonstrates the Jewish people's connection to the Land of Israel."

Spiro said one of his favorite in the series is "The Edge of History."

"That's about prophecy and the end of days," continued. "It not only gives the whole sweep of what Jewish history is about, but what it focuses on is current events, what's going on now."

The final class teaches students how to stand up effectively on Israel's behalf.

"Every individual has the ability to communicate for Israel, to inspire people about Israel and to educate people about who Israel really is," the film explains.

Spiro believes using truth and little facts about Israel will help people make their own decisions about Israel and the Jewish people.