Today, we sent a letter to the president of Bard College, commending him for standing firm in support of Professor Nathan Thrall, who is teaching the course “Apartheid in Israel-Palestine” at the school. Recently, Professor Thrall has come under attack by several right-wing organizations, who advanced the outrageous claim that the very title and existence of the course is antisemitic. The campaign against Thrall is yet another attempt to intentionally conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. These groups weaponize false allegations of antisemitism, and in doing so seek to silence dissent, curtail critical engagement with Israeli policies, and prevent solidarity with Palestinians on US campuses. We stand firm in stating what should be obvious: that criticism of Israeli policies must not be conflated with hostility toward or discrimination against Jews. We stand with Professor Thrall, and are happy to see that Bard College has not relented to these defamatory campaigns wishing to stifle open debate and academic freedom. Click here to read the full letter.
- A4E
