Prof Ullman 1-16-11

16, January 2011                   Prof Ullman

Stanford Professor Ullman needs to be held fully accountable for his inflammatory and racist comments he made to Iranian students seeking admission to Stanford University. To hold all Iranian students responsible for the utter folly of their government is patently absurd. Do we hold all Americans responsible for the policies of our government? Has Ullman forgotten the enormous courage of Iranian students who risked their lives to protest the brutal repression of their government and its opposition to democracy? Surely these students need our vigorous support so that they can enjoy our democratic system and help bring about desirable social reform in Iran. To broad brush members of the National American Iranian Council (NIAC) as ‘enemies of Israel’ boycotting Israeli products’ is irresponsible and borders on the delusional. Stanford President Hennessy’s defense of Ullman was tepid and inadequate. One can only imagine the outrage if a faculty member made anti-Semitic comments!

Professor Ullman should be fired. 

Human Rights Organizations targeted in Israel 1-9-11

9 January 2011                      Human Rights Organizations targeted in Israel

Stung by its growing criticism of its apartheid policies and brutal treatment of the Palestinians, Israel has now taken aim at its human rights organizations. The ultra-right wing of the Knesset has been instrumental in crafting legislation aimed at investigating and possibly de-funding human rights organizations such as ‘Breaking the Silence (BTS).’ This group comprises of former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers who have given eye witness accounts of their unwilling participation in the mindless brutality and dehumanization of Palestinians.

Yehuda Shaul, a founder of BTS, decried attempts to silence his organization “a very sad day for Israeli democracy.” 

The highly respected Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) described the decision as a "severe blow" to Israeli democracy designed "to weaken human rights groups and make them less effective in exposing, questioning, and affecting government policies.”

Other organizations included in the witch-hunting are B'Tselem, which was instrumental in exposing the war crimes committed by Israel during the Gaza offensive in 2008.  

This does not bode well for Israel’s false claim of being a functioning democracy. Before the ‘pro-Israel letter lobby’ pops a blood vessel, I would hasten to add that I am equally critical of the many autocratic Muslim countries that are also propped up by our tax dollars.