Israeli university heads accuse student union of ‘McCarthyist incitement’ in proposed law

Tel Aviv University

Lior Dattel reports in Haaretz on 4 June 2024:

Israel’s research universities are slamming a bill filed on Monday by coalition whip MK Ofir Katz (Likud), which threatens the freedom of speech of university lecturers.

The bill, initiated by the National Union of Israeli Students, proposes that academic institutions will be required to immediately dismiss, in an expedited process and without compensation, lecturers who speak out in ways perceived as negating Israel’s existence as a Jewish and democratic state, incitement of terrorism, support of terrorist organizations and acts of terrorism against Israel. Under the bill, the Council of Higher Education will sanction any institution that does not do so.

The Association of University Heads and the Senior Faculty Organizations Coordinating Council said that the bill will not only harm the independence of institutions of higher education, but will also help Israel’s enemies and the academic boycott movement against Israel by providing them with proof of academic gagging and restricting freedom of expression by the Knesset and students. The association accuses the Student Union, which is supposed to represent all students in Israel, of linking up with the extreme right.

“Regrettably, the bill is part of the ongoing McCarthyist campaign of incitement and division against Israeli academia,” states the Association of University Heads. “The campaign has culminated with the advancing of a bill the nature of which is to gag, create a climate of informing, and fear on campuses. This bill will lethally harm academic independence and freedom of expression, help our enemies through BDS to expand the academic boycott against Israel from which there will be no way back. We call on all Members of Knesset to immediately reject this legislative initiative and prevent severe harm to Israeli academia and democracy.”

The Coordinating Council stated, “We strongly oppose the higher education bill, which will make it possible to dismiss faculty in an expedited process that circumvents the institutions’ disciplinary procedures and regulations. The Coordinating Council considers the bill to be a threat to the independence of Israeli universities and our reputation in Israel and globally. The bill is an open attempt to threaten men and women lecturers. It is liable to be perceived in the world as harming freedom of expression on campuses and the severing of scientific relations with Israel and long-term damage.”

The National Student Union has also launched an extraordinary campaign directly against university lecturers whom it classifies as “supporters of terrorism.” The Association of University Heads said in response, “This is a campaign of persecution and incitement against faculty that is liable to shed their blood. It is unacceptable that a student-financed campaign will encourage division and violence.”

The bill emerged in a letter that the National Student Union sent to Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich last week asking to support it. Some student union leaders have since rescinded their signatures on the letter.

Hundreds of students from the student organization Standing Together demonstrated on Tuesday outside the National Student Union offices, demanding that the bill and the campaign against the lecturers be stopped. “At a time of increasing attacks against Israeli academia and calls to boycott Israel, the National Student Union chairman chooses to link up with coalition MKs in a campaign to weaken and harm academia from within,” announced the Academic Struggle HQ Against the Regime Change. “This is an initiative by the National Student Union chairman, who is trying to use it as a springboard for political advancement by linking up with extreme right-wing parties.

This article is reproduced in its entirety