The ASA boycott of Israel

The American Studies Association (ASA) called this week for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, as a protest against human rights violations in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank  It is an astounding piece of hypocrisy, even by the hypocrisy standards of liberal academia.  All it really proves is that rabid antisemitism is still alive and well, even in America.

Yes, some brutal things happen between Israel and the Palestinian communities.  Most of them initiated by the Palestinians, by the way.  I haven't heard of any Israeli suicide bombers blowing themselves up among civilians in the Palestinian territories. I keep wondering what the ASA people would suggest if, say, Mexico or Canada started firing random missiles into USA cities.  Terrorists took down two US buildings, and our response was to take down the government of two whole nations. So it is OK if we respond to terrorism, but not OK if Israel does?

I would be more impressed if the ASA initiated a boycott against other countries like, say, China, whose human rights abuses are much, much greater.  There are lots and lots of nations with worse human rights records than Israel.  Indeed, I suspect the US, in its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, is better qualified for an ASA boycott than Israel.    But in fact the ASA have simply displayed their antisemitism by singling out Israel.

I am glad to see that major universities like Harvard, Yale and Princeton have spoken out against this blatant antisemitism. More universities and academics need to do so.