University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee political science professor Shale Horowitz has penned a powerful open letter rebuking UWM administration over its agreement with pro-Hamas protesters to end their illegal encampment on school grounds.
Open Letter in Response to UWM’s May 12 Agreement to End the Illegal Protest Encampment
1. The UWM agreement contains outright falsehoods—including the claims that “34,000 innocent Palestinians” have been killed and that Israel is guilty of genocide—and endorses the rhetoric and methods of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement that seeks to destroy Israel.
Those following basic news reporting know that the 34,000-killed figure includes Hamas combatants. A common estimate is that the ratio of civilians to combatants killed in Gaza is between 1-to-1 and 1.5-to-1. This is better than the ratio achieved by the U.S. in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is far better than that achieved by almost all other states in similar wars—including Israel’s enemies. No country has done more than Israel to minimize civilian casualties. The claim that Israel is guilty of genocide is preposterous. The statement places no blame for civilian casualties in Gaza on Hamas—even though Hamas started the war, Hamas intentionally embeds itself among civilians, and Hamas has refused to designate uncontested safe areas for civilians to flee to. The statement goes on to endorse anti-Israel boycott measures, while stating that the law prevents the university from doing more.
2. The falsehoods and other irresponsible statements—particularly the false charge accusing Israel alone of genocide—demonize Israel in a way that fits the IHRA definition of antisemitism accepted by the US government.
The IHRA definition includes the following type of antisemitism: “Applying double standards by requiring of it [Israel] a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.” The UWM statement accuses only Israel of genocide, without comparing Israel’s behavior to that of any other country. Yet Israel is no more guilty than many other democracies involved in wars— such as the United States or India. False charges of genocide are also part of the larger effort to destroy Israel. The UWM statement does not come right out and deny Israel’s right to exist—another variant of antisemitism in the IHRA definition. But by endorsing the rhetoric and methods of the BDS movement, it comes close to doing so.
3. The UWM leaders’ false demonization of Israel further endangers UWM’s Jewish and other pro-Israel students at a time of exploding antisemitic rhetoric, intimidation, and violence.
At UWM, there has already been pro-Palestinian vandalism of Golda Meir Library (March 16) and intimidation of students and staff at an event of the Jewish student organization Hillel (April 17). After the May 12 statement by UWM leaders, it will take even more courage for students to publicly support Israel.
4. UWM leaders, in allowing illegal encampments and taking controversial political stances, have broken their own public promises to follow university rules.
UWM leaders’ policies and statements, taken together, abandon the hallowed principle of institutional neutrality—which is especially important in public universities. Rather than upholding university rules and values, UWM leaders have outsourced the resources and prestige of the university to extremist movements seeking Israel’s destruction. These same movements—far left and Islamic extremist movements—have broader utopian goals that they seek to impose on all others. Their methods and goals include the destruction of academic freedom and other values that UWM claims to uphold.
5. UWM’s leaders are not fit to head a public university. Our elected officials must replace them.
Shale Horowitz, Professor, Department of Political Science, UWM, shaleahorowitz@gmail.com