Ilan Pappe leaves Israel for England, cites harassment is the title of an article posted by Rob Lipton under Educational Institutions at Muzzlewatch.
Pappe explained,
I was boycotted in my university and there had been attempts to expel me from my job. I am getting threatening calls from people every day. I am not being viewed as a threat to the Israeli society but my people think that I am either insane or my views are irrelevant. Many Israelis also believe that I am working as a mercenary for the Arabs.
The Jerusalem Post, which covered the story, noted that,
….as “the only Jewish academic in Israel who is vehemently critical of Zionism,” Pappe said the only solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was the creation of a single state, shared by Jews, Arabs and others. He said that two independent states cannot coexist in “the land of Palestine.” He also said there was “no immediate solution to the crisis and only international pressure can force Israel to end the occupation and the continuing atrocities against the Palestinians.”
“Over the past six years, the Israeli government has become more oppressive, thanks to the strong support from the Bush administration. They now feel that they can do anything they want,” he said.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1173879227334
Although Pappe was a controversial figure in Israel, who called for an academic boycott of Israel, he is a well regarded historian who was offered a position by the University of Exeter in England.
According to Muzzlewatch,
This is a situation similar to that of Tanya Reinhart who, just before her death, had recently moved to the US because she was ousted from her chair as professor of linguistics and cultural studies. She also cited harassment as the main reason.
Both Pappe and Reinhart are/were top flight scholars in their fields. Having intellectuals leave Israel explicitly because of harassment is a dangerous trend, no matter their point of view. Intellectual growth is fostered by a multitude of voices. Special pleading that this is different because of …… pick a specious reason, 1) state security, 2) not being a friend of Israel, 3) neither was, in actual fact a very good scholar, or 4) that one or both acted in bad faith, broke rules, laws, etc. seems rather unpersuasive, to say the least.
And the decent of Israeli democracy continues.
Reprinted by permission of Muzzlewatch.