IsraCampus.Org.il

He states clearly: this is his opinion, this is what worries him, as an Israeli, as someone who has chosen to make Israel his home. He doesn't even call for a boycott, he merely states his conclusion that only international pressure will get us out of the impasse we are in, and that only a boycott will create sufficient pressure to have an effect. His description of the situation is uncomfortable -- but if what is happening on the West Bank is not Apartheid, then what is it?

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:36:52 +0300
From: "Yonathan (Jon) Anson" <anson@bgu.ac.il>
To: sherman@post.tau.ac.il
Cc: "socsci-il@listserver.huji.ac.il" <socsci-il@listserver.cc.huji.ac.il>
Subject: Re: [Social Science- IL]: Fwd: Ben Gurion University and Academic Freedom

Dear all

Niv's article bears rereading before lambasting it
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-gordon20-2009aug20,0,1126906.story
He states clearly: this is his opinion, this is what worries him, as an Israeli, as someone who has chosen to make Israel his home. He doesn't even call for a boycott, he merely states his conclusion that only international pressure will get us out of the impasse we are in, and that only a boycott will create sufficient pressure to have an effect. His description of the situation is uncomfortable -- but if what is happening on the West Bank is not Apartheid, then what is it? His conclusion that only a boycott will save us from ourselves is uncomfortable -- but if we don't like it, let's discuss alternatives. He is not denying a historical past (the holocaust), he is not denying anyone's rights to political equality, he is holding up a mirror and saying -- we look ugly! Breaking the mirror is an easy response, but it doesn't make what is in the mirror any prettier. We don't need the right to free speech in order to proclaim to ourselves that we are the only democracy in the Middle East. We do need freedom of speech to discuss, in the most open way possible what is happening to us, and where we are going. Denying freedom of speech does not keep the fascists out of governments, it does enable them to delegitimise opposition to fascism and racism. Without the right to express all and any opinion, however repugnant to our ears and eyes, there can be no academic debate, and we are failing in our social duty as intellectuals.

Jon Anson

…

>
>
> ----- Forwarded message from msalon@mscc.huji.ac.il -----
>   Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:48:24 +0300
>   From: "Alon Harel" <msalon@mscc.huji.ac.il>
> Subject: [Social Science- IL]: Ben Gurion University and Academic Freedom
>    To: "socsci-il@listserver.huji.ac.il"
> <socsci-il@listserver.cc.huji.ac.il>
>
> This is a letter to the President of Ben Gurion University which we
> hope to
> send next week. Please consider adding your name.
>
>
> ----- End forwarded message -----
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> All you want to know on Social Science-IL:
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>

--
Yonathan (Jon) Anson
Head of Deptartment of Social Work
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
84105 Beer Sheva, Israel.

Tel: +972-8-6479314 (w) +972-8-6489286 (h) 054-7233279 (m)
Fax: +972-8-647 9233

> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> All you want to know on Social Science-IL:

++++++++++++++++++++++