David Bernstein | 4.28.2024 2:38 PM
I don't know Dov Waxman, professor of Israel Studies at UCLA, except by reputation. And his reputation is of being ideologically on the left, hostile to Israel and sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, and as someone who downplays the prevalence of antisemitism among "antizionists."
Therefore, I found a recent tweet of his explaining why he won't support the "encampment" at UCLA of special interest:
I cannot join this protest because it is not just a protest against the war in Gaza. Among the demands of the protest organizers is the demand to "sever all UC-wide connections to Israeli universities, including study abroad programs, fellowships, seminars, and research collaborations, and UCLA's Nazarian Center." Needless to say, I oppose the demand to boycott the Nazarian Center, which I direct. The Center is devoted to the academic study of Israel and has no ties to the Israeli government. I also oppose boycotting Israeli academic institutions and academic boycotts in general.
But it isn't only the demands of the [UCLA] protest organizers that I have a problem with.........