Several developments to report in the over-the-top Zionist campaign to prevent me being heard at the University of New Mexico on Nov 7.
The Zionists of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico (JFNM) and Hillel at the University of New Mexico (UNM) are apparently embarrassed by the exposure of their backdoor campaign to have two academic departments cancel their sponsorship of my upcoming talk at the University of New Mexico on 7 November.
The campaign of vilification and defamation has included a statement by JNMF director Sam Sokolove published in the Albuquerque Journal likening me to the Ku Klux Klan.
In the latest demarche, Sara Koplik, director of UNM Hillel and one the organizers of this defamation campaign has written a letter to "Hillel Students" reproduced below. In her letter, Koplik expresses annoyance that her and Sokolove's initial letter to department heads vilifying me and calling on the departments not to support my appearance became public, but she goes on to attack me further by claiming that "Ali Abunimah calls for the destruction of the State of Israel." You would think from her hyperbole that it is me, and not Israel, that possesses hundreds of undeclared nuclear warheads, or that it is me, and not Israel that constantly invades, occupies and threatens its neighbors and holds millions of people under a brutal military occupation without any basic civil or political rights. Nevertheless, Dr. Koplik goes on to claim that it is her "job to help make UNM a place where Jewish students do not feel under siege." Apparently my presence on campus constitutes such a siege!
Surely Dr. Koplik should be more concerned about hundreds of thousands of children and students in Gaza who are literally under Israeli siege, and urge Hillel Students to help expose, break and end this siege in keeping with the Jewish values of justice that Hillel professes.
Of course I can only guess at Dr. Koplik's motives in continuing with this campaign of personal vilification and defamation against me, I wonder if her real fear is that students under her tutelage may come to my event, find out that I am a human and not a monster, that what I actually call for is not the "destruction of Israel" but its transformation into a democracy which guarantees strict equal rights for all its citizens including its Palestinian and Israeli Jewish citizens -- equality under the law just like we have in the United States. This is the unbearable threat to the Zionist narrative that must be stopped. Here is Koplik's letter.
Dear Hillel Students,
You may have noticed an article in the Daily Lobo last week or one in the Albuquerque Journal yesterday which talks about Hillel's opposition to departmental sponsorship of a talk by Ali Abunimah on Sunday.
Ali Abunimah is the founder of the Electronic Intifada and a representative of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Along with the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation, I expressed private concerns to Prof. Alex Lubin of American Studies and Prof. Les Field of the Peace Studies Program.
Unfortunately, Prof. Lubin did not respond to us directly, but rather sent out our letter to the BDS list serve, the Stop $30 Billion list serve, and to Ali Abunimah, who printed our letter on his blog.
This turned a private matter into a public one, and now much of Albuquerque knows about this controversy. Please allow me to explain our perspective.
1. We are not opposed to Ali Abunimah speaking at the University of New Mexico.
2. We are not opposed to any student group sponsoring this talk.
3. We are opposed to departmental sponsorship of this talk, as we believe that Ali Abunimah calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, and thus, it is not appropriate for a department in a public university to condone such language.
As Hillel director, it is my job to ensure that Jewish students have a home on campus - no matter what their political persuasion or feeling about Israel. All Jews are welcome to every event. However, it is also my job to help make UNM a place where Jewish students do not feel under siege. This is why I am concerned about Ali Abunimah. I do not believe that hatred towards the State of Israel, and the policies of boycott, divestment and sanctions will bring about a peaceful future for Israelis and for Palestinians. Next Friday, November 12th, we will have an opportunity to talk about these issues after Shabbat services and dinner. If you have any concerns, questions, or thoughts on the matter, I hope you can attend.
All the best,
Sara Koplik
In another development, Professor Les Field, Director of the UNM Peace Studies Program, had also written to UNM Hillel Members (letter below) stating, "In light of the unfortunate misunderstandings that have so far characterized the upcoming lecture by Ali Abunimah this coming Sunday, I would like to extend my formal invitation to the members of Hillel." He adds, "There are also many Jewish people, like myself, in this country and in Europe who are trying to reach out across the sharp differences of opinion about the present and future of Israel-Palestine conflict. It is crucial to hear a wide variety of ideas at this point."
I wholly endorse Professor Field's invitation. Last night at Stanford I stood for two hours and took unmoderated questions from an audience including many strong supporters of Israel. Instead of scaremongering and making outrageous claims about me, why doesn't Dr. Koplik urge Hillel students to attend my event? I will, as I did at Stanford answer all their questions and concerns, and I am ready to stand for as long as it takes. Here is Professor Field's letter:
Dear UNM Hillel members:
In light of the unfortunate misunderstandings that have so far characterized the upcoming lecture by Ali Abunimah this coming Sunday, I would like to extend my formal invitation to the members of Hillel.
I hope that you and other members of Hillel will attend the Abumimah event, and hear him out. You would be very welcomed.
Positions similar to his have been enunciated in different ways by a significant number of people in Israel, including academics, activists and politicians. There are also many Jewish people, like myself, in this country and in Europe who are trying to reach out across the sharp differences of opinion about the present and future of Israel-Palestine conflict. It is crucial to hear a wide variety of ideas at this point.
Thirty years ago Israel's official position was that a two-state solution was not only impossible but that the Palestinian people did not really exist. Talking to the PLO was seen as an endorsement of terrorism, and those who advocated talks with Yasir Arafat were called anti-Semites. The history of this conflict shows us that dialogue even with those whose ideas we currently find unacceptable is crucial and can eventually prove productive.
shalom,
Les Field
Les W. Field Professor of Anthropology
Director, UNM Peace Studies Program
Department of Anthropology MSC01-1040
University of New Mexico(Albuquerque, NM 87131
Also, the Albuquerque Journal has published an op-ed (Palestinian's Message Not Anti-Semitic or Divisive) responding to the Jewish Federation and Hillel's defamation campaign, authored by Danya Mustafa, UNM Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East (CPJME) co-President, Margaret Leicester CPJME co-founder, and Rich Forer an Albuquerque community activist. An excerpt:
Federation and Hillel authors write: "Abunimah is a representative of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a global movement intent on destroying Israel and her credibility in the world... according to the Anti-Defamation League, 'BDS is about the three 'D's: Demonization, Delegitimization, and applying a Double Standard.' This movement is disinterested in peace, the exchange of ideas or legitimate dialogue.... This is all anti-Semitism in its clearest, most noxious form."
Who is guilty of the three D's? Not once has Hillel or the Jewish Federation engaged the Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East in public dialogue about this issue. Instead, their supporters write nasty letters to the editor and on Internet blogs attacking campus and community members critical of Israeli policies. They employ character assassination and ad hominem attacks to stifle dialogue and constructive debate.
In contrast, the coalition is bringing Ali Abunimah to our campus in order to unite all sides of the Israel-Palestine issue through dialogue about peaceful resolutions to this ongoing conflict. BDS is not about demonizing, delegitimizing and applying a double standard nor is it a strategy intended to punish the Jewish or Israeli people.
They end with this rallying cry:
The Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East and its many sponsors will unambiguously communicate to every single person in the room that denouncing Israel's inhumane policies is not a crime, nor is it anti-Semitic. We will take this opportunity to educate and raise awareness on the UNM campus and in the larger Albuquerque community about the Israel-Palestine issue and the BDS campaign. Abunimah personally invites Jewish Federation and Hillel members to attend his talk on Sunday and "to ask me any questions they want." Join in the dialogue!
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