The UM Press made the right decision to protect academic debate when they resisted Pro-Israel pressure to drop its distribution deal with Pluto Press, a progressive British publisher.
However, pro-Israeli organizations are taking their pressure campaign to the top, to the UM Board of Regents. Three members of the Board of Regentsissued a statement calling on UM Press to cancel its deal with Pluto Press because of the public pressure.
SAFE believes that the University should stand by its values and protect open academic debate, regardless of which states are given critical treatment. If the University backs down to pressure from agenda-driven outsiders, it will be a major loss for the state of academic debate, especially since Pluto Press puts out many books by progressive Palestinian, Israeli, and other voices that do not get heard through the media in this country. Open debate about a critical issue -- Israel's occupation of the Palestinians -- is badly needed.
The following organizations issues letters to the Board of Regents. While their statements focus on the threat of anti-Semitism, they fail to show how Pluto Press furthers it. This is clearly a politically-motivated campaign to silence dissent.
Anti-Defamation League
http://antiracistblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/anti-defamation-league-statement-to-te.html
Zionist Organization of America
Stand With Us
B'nai B'rith International (BBI)
Oped in Ann Arbor News
1 comment:
There is nothing "progressive" to the widespread opposition to Israel on the campuses.
The anti-Israeli version of history has been bought wholesale by the the leftists.
The other perspective is never expressed:
1. Arabs are already occupying 99.5% of Middle East.
2. Jews are only asking to be left alone in their ancestorial lands "Land of Israel".
3. There has never existed any nation of Palestinians, no such history, no borders, no government, no kings, nothing. No language, religion nothing to distinguish "Palestinians" form other Arabs such as Syrians or "Jordanians".
4. More Jews were violently kicked out from Arab lands than vice-versa, yet we never hear of Jewish refugees. The truth is that the the Palestinian Arabs only had to move some 15 - 20 miles, into locations where their Arab brothers live.
5.However the Arab states deliberately did not allow them to become part of their countries. The Arab states are the cause of the "Palestinian" crises. Their real motive is to not allow the Jewish state.
6. The "occupied West-Bank" is a term from Arab propaganda, the historical name of "West-Bank" is Judea and Samaria! From Jewish perspective these ancient Jewish lands are occupied by Arabs, not vice-versa.
7. "Palestinians" are not interested in statehood, if they were, they would have already organized a viable state. In 1930-1940s Jews have organized a viable state under much harsher conditions.
8. Should "Palestinians" ever get a sate, it will be a failed state, which will be absorbed by other Arab states.
9. Land for peace is a charade, Israel is tiny and is surrounded by states determined to eradicate it. Getting the little bit more land would make no difference to Arabs, but would effectively end the Jewish state.
10. Jews can be compared to endangered species, the only way this culture/nation can survive is if they have a state. The Arabs population on the other hand is growing explosively, there is no danger of disappearance the Arab culture/language/or the Muslim religion. Jews have made a outstanding contribution to culture and science, while Muslims have not contributed anything of value in the last 500 years.
11. The true progressives would support the Jewish national liberation, they would support the liberation of all of the land of Israel including the so called "West-Bank". Give Jews a chance, they are not asking for much.(.5% of the Middle East).
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