UNMIA

We frequently hear that the Israel Lobby, Neo-Cons and Zionists in general stifle debate and don’t allow anybody to say anything bad about Israel in government, education or the media, a pretty amazing claim, given the facts. However, this lament is currently very popular in anti-Zionist circles. Following is an editorial by Amy Isseroff which does a good job of refuting this claim, especially where it relates to universities.

by Amy Isseroff of the Zionism & Israel Center

A widely recycled essay about “The New McCarthyism” charges that “a network of right-wing activists” is trying to curtail academic freedom by stifling views that are inconvenient for Israel and its supporters.

The author, Larry Cohler-Esses, cites a number of varied cases: Norman Finkelstein, who was denied tenure at De Paul university, Nadia Abu El-Haj whose bid for tenure has been attacked in numerous articles and a petition (but apparently has been approved regardless of the furor) and Debbie Almontaser, a New York City high school principle, who was fired after she had defended “Intifada” T-shirts, explaining that”stated that “intifada” means “shaking off” and the shirts represented women “shaking off” oppression.

Cohler-Esse’s shot gun approach raises many issues. It is never clear …