TEHRAN (FNA)- Anthony Hall, Canadian professor, strongly criticized the moves made in the West to blacklist academic critics of Israel as “very reprehensible and anti-academic”.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with FNA, Professor Hall commented on an Israeli project called Im Tirzu, listing academics who are “anti-Zionists or Leftists” and inviting students to file complaints against them.
He further said such a move prevents academics from expressing their ideas, saying, “What is the University for, if questions cannot be asked in an open fashion? The basis of democracy requires free and open expression of a range of opinion.”
Anthony James Hall is Professor emeritus of Globalization Studies at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. Also, he is the editor in chief of American Herald Tribune. Professor Hall was a target of pro-Israeli lobbies’ Canary project, which filed a complaint against him based on his interviews and speeches against Zionism. The court dismissed the accusations against him, but the university admiration forced him to get retired.
Below is the full text of the interview.
Q: How do you view the practice of the blacklisting academics by Israeli extremists?
A: Ironically this is all framed in terms that Israel is Jewish and democratic! Zionists suggest Israel is an exclusively Jewish state, so that does not represent in an equitable way, those who are not Jews (Arabs-Palestinians, Muslims or Christians.) There is something lacking and contradictory in the claim to democracy: in a democracy you do not expect everyone to have the same opinion; you expect that there will be a disagreement about opinion. The move to blacklist academics suggests there are right and wrong opinions, and if you have these supposedly wrong opinions then perhaps you should not be working at a university. What is the University for, if questions cannot be asked in an open fashion? The basis of democracy requires free and open expression of a range of opinion.
Q: It sounds Israeli extremists do not want to have Zionism discussed academically. Where else this can be discussed, if not at a university?
A: Surely the essence of what university is supposed to stand for is a range of free expression of a range of opinion. We get away from that and it is tragic. In Canada teaching about indigenous people is a patriotic thing to do as the Canadians want to address these issues. With the Palestinians, why should not the same apply? Why would not a patriotic Israeli citizen say we have a problem here? We have something out of order? These professors are apparently put in a hard situation.
Q: How do you view the reactions from inside Israel to the move?
A: When Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, spoke to the camera, he supported that move, showing government’s approval. But, even the Likud party, which is the center of gravity, has condemned the project. There was actually a court case where a group accused this move of having fascist characteristics, and a judge agreed that characterization was valid in some respects. It seems to be creating great divisions inside Israel.
Q: What are the possible consequences of Im Tirzu?
A: Of course to be subjected to this kind of recriminations that move is bringing on might be considered blacklisting. It might be considered an encouragement to add students to the list of those making a complaint, or maybe even commit violence against the professors or to have contempt for them. This is not a healthy approach. It resembles Canary mission, a website devoted to blacklisting students who support BDS. Blacklisting is illegal. Blacklisting is unethical. If you disagree with the positions of an academic professor, express your disagreement, find out how that professor is wrong, or have an open debate using the dynamics of academic discourse to find out where the truth lies. That a group is blacklisted and designated as somehow traitors is very reprehensible and anti-academic, not conducted in a civil society.
No comments:
Post a Comment