Posted: 4/19/2009 5:12:00 PM
Author: Hillel Fendel
Source: This article originally appeared on the Arutz 7 website on April 19, 2009.
Academic Watchdog Works to Expel Anti-Israel Activist from TAU
by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) IAM, the Israel Academia Monitor organization, has set itself the goal of alerting the public to outspokenly anti-Israel professors and others in Israeli universities.
Its top project at the moment: A drive to have the positions of Tel Aviv University doctoral student Omar Barghouti – “clearly an enemy of Israel,” IAM says – exposed and publicized.
IAM has initiated a petition against Barghouti, a member of the same clan that includes convicted terrorist murderer and Palestinian Authority leader Marwan Barghouti. The petition is addressed to the Rector, President, and supporters of Tel Aviv University, and states:
“Literally thousands of people all over the world are working very hard to demonize and de-legitimize Israel. An especially strident and persuasive voice is that of Omar Barghouti, whose devastating accusations against Israel can be found on dozens of internet sites, newspapers all over the world and even at international conferences. What makes his work especially repugnant is his wide use of half-truth, selective omission and outright lie. He is clearly an enemy of Israel.
“…Omar Barghouti is a founding member of The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and has personally called, on countless occasions, for an international boycott of all Israeli universities as well as [cutting off] trade and cultural ties.
“…We can’t help wondering at the logic of Tel Aviv University [providing] this enemy of Israel with the means to obtain a doctorate in Ethics. Can this indeed be true? Ethics!!! As Israeli citizens we are also deeply dismayed that an academic institution, which gets part of our hard-earned taxes to keep it going, is enabling such a person to use its facilities. We are sure a lot of Jews around the world who donate generously to academic institutions in Israel would be quite devastated to learn how their monies are used…”
Thus far, over 16,000 people have signed the Hebrew petition, including nearly 4,000 in the past 18 hours. The lesser-known English version has been endorsed thus far by more than 300 signatories.
The IAM website features selections from anti-Israel articles written by Israeli university professors and lecturers, an article on “How Palestinians use Israeli academics,” a listing of “358 Israeli academics calling on Israeli students to refuse army service,” video clips of “Israeli activists and academics interfering with the IDF,” and more.
