Alan Dershowitz writes a troubling account of his recent visit to Norway. Norwegian universities have recently welcomed speakers like Stephen Walt and Ilan Pappe to address the Israel-Palestinian conflict. But when Dershowitz offered to speak about Israel free of charge, all of the major schools apparently declined, saying that the subject was too controversial.
Further, the university libraries reportedly turned down free copies of a Norwegian translation of Dershowitz’s most well-known book, The Case for Israel.
Dershowitz did end up speaking at several universities, after being invited by student groups. But he writes that his speeches sparked a faculty boycott:
According to Dershowitz, the sustained effort at Norwegian schools to initiate an Israeli cultural and academic boycott has resulted in a “de facto” boycott of Jewish pro-Israel speakers. “Moreover,” writes Dershowitz, “all Jews are presumed to be pro-Israel unless they have a long track record of anti-Israel rhetoric.”
The worst part of such an academic boycott is that the students genuinely sound like they’re interested in hearing pro-Israel perspectives. But if the universities continue to shut these voices out, the upcoming generation won’t have the opportunity to hear anything other than anti-Israel arguments, at least not in an academic setting.
Further, the university libraries reportedly turned down free copies of a Norwegian translation of Dershowitz’s most well-known book, The Case for Israel.
Dershowitz did end up speaking at several universities, after being invited by student groups. But he writes that his speeches sparked a faculty boycott:
But despite the refusal of the faculties of Norway’s three major universities to invite me to deliver lectures on Israel and international law, I delivered three lectures to packed auditoriums at each university. It turns out that the students wanted to hear me, despite their professors’ efforts to keep my views from them. Student groups invited me. I came. And I received sustained applause both before and after my talks. Faculty members boycotted my talks and declined even to meet with me.
The worst part of such an academic boycott is that the students genuinely sound like they’re interested in hearing pro-Israel perspectives. But if the universities continue to shut these voices out, the upcoming generation won’t have the opportunity to hear anything other than anti-Israel arguments, at least not in an academic setting.
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