LSE says 'editorial guidelines were not followed' in publishing anti-Zionist blog

The London School of Economics has removed a post on its website accusing Zionism of being based on Jewish biblical “notions of separateness, superiority and entitlement”.

Dr Sandra Nasr, a lecturer in the politics of the Middle East at Notre Dame University in Australia, wrote that Jewish notions of “otherness” as the “chosen people” and what she called the “colonial plan” to occupy Palestine have led to a deliberate “delegitimising” and “dehumanising” of Palestinians.

In the post, Delegitimising through Dehumanisation: Palestinian ‘human’ rights denied, Dr Nasr accused Israel of oppressing Palestinians and denying their human rights and equated the Israel-Palestine conflict and the concept of Zionism with apartheid.

She wrote: “Zionism, the ideological project to secure a Jewish homeland, relies upon notions of separateness, superiority and entitlement”.

LSE said its editorial guidelines had not been followed in publishing the blog.

In a statement, a spokesman said: “LSE has received a number of complaints regarding a recent post on the student-led Human Rights blog. The post was by a non-LSE academic and, as noted on the blog, the views expressed were by the author alone.

"With all academic engagement, the School will seek to balance the concerns of research quality, academic freedom and reputation. LSE uses blogs, among other channels, to offer a platform for academic discussion on often contentious and emotive topics. The School has firm guidelines on blog posts and editorial procedure.

"Regretfully, editorial guidelines were not followed in this instance. The blog post has now been taken down."

Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush had described the blog as "contemptible".

The Community Security Trust called it a "false and offensive caricature of Jewish law and religious beliefs"

It urged LSE to review its editorial process.

The Union of Jewish Students said the blog had heightened concerns of Jewish students at LSE, coming in the wake of a recent exhibition by the LSE Palestine Society which commemorated Palestinians involved in terror attacks in Israel.

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