The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America deplores the recent decision by NYU’s Social and Cultural Analysis Department to officially end its partnership with NYU – Tel Aviv. While the resolution does not bar students and faculty from conducting research or attending classes in TAU, it did not hesitate to follow up with a statement that urges adherence to the “spirit of non-cooperation.”
Rose Asaf, an activist in the radical anti-Jewish group, Jewish Voice for Peace, as well as the anti-Zionist Students for Justice in Palestine at NYU, explained her support for the discriminatory gambit:
“The reason we are specially focusing on the [NYU-TAU] campus is because Israel has a law on the books saying that students who adhere to [BDS], students who are part of these organizations and have such and such ideology will not be let in. They lay it out clear for us. This is not the case for any of NYU’s study away sites.”
Asaf is referring to Israel’s 2017 law that affirms the nation’s right to bar access to any non-Israeli citizen or non-resident who supports the BDS movement – a movement with blatant and indisputable ties to terrorism.
At a time when institutions of higher learning continue to push the boundaries of antisemitism, it is a good opportunity to review Nathan Sharansky’s method of identifying discrimination against the Jewish state. His “Three D’s” include: “Demonizing”, “Delegitimizing”, and the one that NYU blatantly chose to ignore: “Double-Standards.”
In fact, NYU’s study abroad program contains destinations such as London, Buenos Aires, and Shanghai. Let’s take a look and see if it truly is “not the same case for any of NYU’s study away sites:”
In October of 2017, China did not hesitate to publicly defend its right to bar people from entering Hong Kong after expelling a British activist. China explained its decision by stating, “…Hong Kong affairs are a purely internal matter for China.” Did NYU proceed to cancel its partnership with Shanghai? No.
In March of 2018, three anti-Islam activists were barred from entry into the UK. In defending this decision, the Home Office in the UK explained: “Border Force has the power to refuse entry to an individual if it is considered that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good.” Did NYU proceed to cancel its partnership with London? No.
CAMERA’s Campus Coordinator, Yoni Michanie commented:
“After the tragedies of Pittsburgh and California, it is time that we hold academic institutions responsible for the role they play in combating antisemtism in all its forms.”
Another CAMERA Campus Coordinator, Zac Schildcrout stated:
“Whatever the faculty’s feelings about how BDS supporters are treated by the Israeli government, punishing NYU – Tel Aviv is absolutely counterproductive and illiberal. Academic departments should strive for dialogue and intellectual exchange, not censorship and ostracism. With this resolution, New York University is only harming its own students and academic reputation.”
Update: an earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to NYU – Tel Aviv as Tel Aviv University.