“Word Crimes” editors slam critics as “anti-Semitic activists”

In their response to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the editors and contributors of the Israel Studies “Word Crimes” special issue described their critics as “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activists”.

the issue’s editors and contributors defend its content and say it is in keeping with special issues of the past. They say the outrage is, at least in part, being fanned by anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activists, some of whom support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement to spurn academic and other events in Israel.

The anonymous editors and contributors did not name those “anti-Israel and anti-Semite activists”, and it is not clear who do they have in mind.

Are they referring to members of the journal’s editorial board, half of whom resigned in protest? Board members who signed the “letter of dissent” ? Gannit Ankori, Michael Brenner, Ayelet Harel-Shalev, Daniel Kurtzer, Pnina Lahav, Derek Penslar, Mohammed Wattad, Yael Zerubavel, Ron Zweig — are these respected scholars “anti-Semitic activists”?

Are they referring to the nine Israel Studies lecturers and professors who signed the letters of concern to the AIS and to the journal?

Are they referring to the scores of distinguished scholars who signed the letters — are they “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activists”?

The use of such language is not an unfortunate product of a heated debate — it is entirely consistent with the rhetoric of the “Word Crimes” special issue, in which the scholarly work of academic colleagues was condemned in terms such as crimes, insanity and degradation.

The attempt to censure concepts and ideas, and the policing of discourse, leads to the castigation of large parts (probably most) of the scholarly community in the field as “offenders”. It is an attempt to push critics out of the discussion. It is a very dangerous route to follow.