SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
(Photo: Eric Risberg/AP)
University of California Adopts Policy Linking Anti-Zionism to Anti-Semitism
Mar 24, 2016
The regents of the University of California unanimously adopted a new policy on discrimination on Wednesday that links anti-Semitism to opposition to Zionism, the ideology asserting that the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in historic Palestine.
At a meeting in San Francisco, the UC Board of Regents approved a working group's recommendation for a set of "Principles Against Intolerance" that accepts the argument that "manifestations of anti-Semitism have changed" as a result of debates over Israel on college campuses and "expressions of anti-Semitism are more coded and difficult to identify."
"In particular," the report stated, "opposition to Zionism often is expressed in ways that are not simply statements of disagreement over politics and policy, but also assertions of prejudice and intolerance toward Jewish people and culture."
To address the concerns of pro-Israel students and faculty, who claimed that supporters of Palestinian rights who disagreed with them were practicing a form of discrimination, the working group was formed in September to expand on a draft statement that had said, "Intolerance has no place at the University of California." In January, the working group proposed that the declaration should read instead: "Anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and other forms of discrimination have no place at the University of California."
But that proposed language was criticized -- by, among others, the ACLU, the Middle East Studies Association of North America, student activists and faculty members like Michael Meranze, Saree Makdisi and Judith Butler -- for erasing the line between legitimate criticism of the state of Israel and hate speech aimed at Jewish students and faculty. Just before the regents voted on the policy on Wednesday, a member of the working group, Norman Pattiz, further amended the reference to anti-Zionism so that it now condemns "anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism."
Read the full article at The Intercept.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Robert Mackey, The Intercept
Robert Mackey writes about national and international news through the prism of social media. Before joining The Intercept as a Senior Writer, he was a reporter and columnist for the New York Times, where he anchored the newspaper's breaking news blog, The Lede, for five years, and wrote a news analysis column, Open Source.
The regents of the University of California unanimously adopted a new policy on discrimination on Wednesday that links anti-Semitism to opposition to Zionism, the ideology asserting that the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in historic Palestine.
At a meeting in San Francisco, the UC Board of Regents approved a working group's recommendation for a set of "Principles Against Intolerance" that accepts the argument that "manifestations of anti-Semitism have changed" as a result of debates over Israel on college campuses and "expressions of anti-Semitism are more coded and difficult to identify."
"In particular," the report stated, "opposition to Zionism often is expressed in ways that are not simply statements of disagreement over politics and policy, but also assertions of prejudice and intolerance toward Jewish people and culture."
To address the concerns of pro-Israel students and faculty, who claimed that supporters of Palestinian rights who disagreed with them were practicing a form of discrimination, the working group was formed in September to expand on a draft statement that had said, "Intolerance has no place at the University of California." In January, the working group proposed that the declaration should read instead: "Anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and other forms of discrimination have no place at the University of California."
But that proposed language was criticized -- by, among others, the ACLU, the Middle East Studies Association of North America, student activists and faculty members like Michael Meranze, Saree Makdisi and Judith Butler -- for erasing the line between legitimate criticism of the state of Israel and hate speech aimed at Jewish students and faculty. Just before the regents voted on the policy on Wednesday, a member of the working group, Norman Pattiz, further amended the reference to anti-Zionism so that it now condemns "anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism."
Read the full article at The Intercept.
Robert Mackey, The Intercept
Robert Mackey writes about national and international news through the prism of social media. Before joining The Intercept as a Senior Writer, he was a reporter and columnist for the New York Times, where he anchored the newspaper's breaking news blog, The Lede, for five years, and wrote a news analysis column, Open Source.
The regents of the University of California unanimously adopted a new policy on discrimination on Wednesday that links anti-Semitism to opposition to Zionism, the ideology asserting that the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in historic Palestine.
At a meeting in San Francisco, the UC Board of Regents approved a working group's recommendation for a set of "Principles Against Intolerance" that accepts the argument that "manifestations of anti-Semitism have changed" as a result of debates over Israel on college campuses and "expressions of anti-Semitism are more coded and difficult to identify."
"In particular," the report stated, "opposition to Zionism often is expressed in ways that are not simply statements of disagreement over politics and policy, but also assertions of prejudice and intolerance toward Jewish people and culture."
To address the concerns of pro-Israel students and faculty, who claimed that supporters of Palestinian rights who disagreed with them were practicing a form of discrimination, the working group was formed in September to expand on a draft statement that had said, "Intolerance has no place at the University of California." In January, the working group proposed that the declaration should read instead: "Anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and other forms of discrimination have no place at the University of California."
But that proposed language was criticized -- by, among others, the ACLU, the Middle East Studies Association of North America, student activists and faculty members like Michael Meranze, Saree Makdisi and Judith Butler -- for erasing the line between legitimate criticism of the state of Israel and hate speech aimed at Jewish students and faculty. Just before the regents voted on the policy on Wednesday, a member of the working group, Norman Pattiz, further amended the reference to anti-Zionism so that it now condemns "anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism."
Read the full article at The Intercept.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.