University pulls event with anti-Israel professor Richard Falk
Professor Richard Falk's event at the University of East London has been cancelled, because of a procedural issue
A pro-Israel academic has pulled out of conference in Ireland, after it became apparent it was featuring anti-Israel critic Professor Richard Falk.
One of the only academics due to speak in support of Israel at a conference in Cork in Ireland next week has cancelled in protest, after organisers invited a controversial Israel critic to present.
Professor Alan Johnson from UK-Israel think-tank BICOM said Falk’s invitation to the conference in Cork, meant the three-day event was now “an attempt to normalise anti-Semitism” and he withdrew his attendance.
“I have informed the organisers that I will no longer be participating,” he said. “I had agreed to participate in an academic conference to present a paper in defence of Israel’s right to exist. But by inviting a speaker who espouses anti-Semitic conspiracy theories the conference is now objectively an attempt to normalise anti-Semitism and I cannot attend such an event.”
This comes after the University of East London cancelled an event with Falk, the Emeritus Professor of Princeton University, who accused Israel of war crimes in his role as UN Special Rapporteur to Palestine from 2008-14. He was due to speak at UEL on Tuesday night, before the event was pulled at the last-minute.
The University cancelled the event, saying it took “the difficult decision” because “it became clear, the day before the event, that the University’s External Speakers Policy had not been adequately followed”.
The event, which had been advertised on the University’s own Events page, had been due to launch Falk’s new book ‘Palestine’s Horizons: Towards a Just Peace,” but the University’s senior management team is understood to have only found out about it on Monday.
The spokesman denied that this was an attack on free speech, saying: “We strongly believe that universities should be a place of debate and free speech. We would consider welcoming Professor Falk to our campus on another occasion if the appropriate policies and procedures were followed.”
It follows Falk’s appearance at a similar public book launch event on Monday morning at London School of Economics (LSE), during which pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists engaged in shouting and screaming, with two ejected.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
