William A. Jacobson
You can have academic freedom, or you can have a pro-BDS Dean, but you can’t have both.
You can have academic freedom, or you can have a pro-BDS Dean, but you can’t have both.
"Ilana Feldman, a professor of anthropology at George Washington University (GWU), recently was appointed Interim Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at GWU.
There was an immediate firestorm of controversy, since Feldman is a supporter of and longtime activist leader of the academic boycott of Israel, which is part of the larger Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
"As we have documented, BDS was launched at the openly anti-Semitic Tehran and Durban Conferences in 2001, a repackaging of the Jewish Boycotts of the 1920s and 1930s, and the Arab League Boycott of Israel. BDS was a rebranding meant to appeal to western liberals, framed in the language of social justice. Part of that repackaging was to claim BDS started in 2005 as a call from Palestinian civil society. BDS supporters in the West mosly are ignorant of the history of BDS.
Feldman Will Not Be Considered For Permanent Dean
"Feldman’s pro-BDS background, which involves a commitment not to treat Israelis (and by implication, supporters of Israel) fairly, went against the requirements needed for the senior administrative post of Interim Dean or permanent Dean.
"GWU acknowledged the criticism, and issued a statement reiterating its rejection of BDS:
More... All emphases in the original. TDMay 18, 2020We have listened and heard the concerns from some members of our community about the appointment of Dr. Ilana Feldman as interim Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs and personal views she has expressed about the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
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