#0202_A_View_From_West_Jerusalem

"The Hebrew University Student Association will hold celebrations in honor of Israel’s 70th Independence Day, alongside events marking Nakba Day. The reason: The student association has decided to take fellow Arab students into account. Many students have voiced their opposition to this on social media: ‘We should not have to apologize for our existence.’ The association has confirmed the details."

– myNet Jerusalem

[Selected Comments:]
– "The Hebrew University was founded, and continues to exist, on the basis of a critical, deep and serious discourse, and it is because of this that it has managed to bring itself to be regarded as the best in Israel. It seems that there are some who do not understand the principals of narratives, of research, of thoroughness, of the will to reach academic excellence by choice, and by the examination of issues.
Do I support the commemoration of the Nakba in the public space? Not everywhere, but in the university context – yes. Because that is exactly the point of an academic institution: to hold a discussion even when it’s difficult.
In the name of values of hatred and suppression, there are some that want to put an end to free thought. There are many like that on the other side, and that is why Palestinian universities don’t come close to the level of Israeli universities. There are some like that on our side, and we cannot allow them to ruin the academia, that is distinctly anti-Zionist act (not that Zionism really interests them).
As a high-school headmaster, I commemorate Memorial Day. My son is named after a friend who was killed. I am a proud Zionist and I don’t feel that I need to be apologetic. But I educate teenagers – the university’s role is different. Anyone that doesn’t understand this is either not very intelligent, or is trying to hurt the country in order to score a few points among his voters (and there are some that get paid for it)."
– "Any sensible person has to understand that next he’ll be asked to identify with terrorists who died for the ‘Palestinian’ nation…
How hypocritical of them. If they hate us so much, why do they study here and work for us?"

#Independence_Day #Nakba_Day #Hebrew_University #Free_Speech #Controversial #Academic_Discourse

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