One of only two speakers due to argue Israel’s case at a conference questioning the existence of the Jewish state has withdrawn from the event over the appearance of an author who has endorsed a book espousing antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Professor Alan Johnson, BICOM’s senior research Fellow, confirmed he has pulled out of the conference in Cork, Ireland in protest at the organisers’ decision to bill Richard Falk as one of the keynote speakers.
In a statement, Prof Johnson, who also edits the Fathom journal, said:“I have informed the organisers of the Cork Conference that I will no longer be participating. The organisers have issued an invitation to Richard Falk to give a keynote speech.
“I had agreed to participate in an academic conference to present a paper in defence of Israel’s right to exist. But by inviting a speaker who espouses antisemitic conspiracy theories the conference is now objectively an attempt to normalise antisemitism and I cannot attend such an event."
The Cork conference, which is titled “International Law and the State of Israel: Legitimacy, Exceptionalism and Responsibility” and begins on March 31, will feature some of the most outspoken critics of Israel. Speakers include anti-Zionist historian Professor llan Pappe and the University of Southampton’s Professor Oren Ben-Dor, who has blamed the Jewish mind set for provoking antisemitism.
Prof Johnson had initially believed he had a duty to attend the event in order to “defend Israel’s right to exist”.
But he told the JC he had decided to withdraw because in his view Mr Falk’s appearance “changes the character of the event”.
He cited Mr Falk’s endorsement of a book by musician and writer Gilad Atzmon, who describes himself as “a proud, self-hating Jew”, as an influencing factor.
Prof Johnson described Mr Atzmon’s book as “openly antisemitic – yet with a tribute on the back page from Falk”.
In the book Mr Atzmon questions whether the blood libel was false, declares that “robbery and hatred is imbued in Jewish modern political ideology on both the left and the right” and that “the history of Jewish persecution is a myth, and if there was any persecution the Jews brought it on themselves”.
In a blurb for the book Mr Falk wrote that the work was “a transformative story told with unflinching integrity that all [especially Jews] who care about real peace, as well as their own identity, should not only read, but reflect upon and discuss widely.”
Prof Johnson said: ”I was willing to participate at an academic event and give an academic paper, but the decision to promote Falk in such a way means the character of the event has changed and I don’t think I should participate.”
Mr Falk appeared at a debate at the London School of Economics on Monday where Mr Atzmon was present in the audience.
A scheduled appearance by Mr Falk at East London University this week has been cancelled due to a breach of the university's guidelines on external speakers
The only pro-Israel speaker now due to attend the Cork event is former JC columnist Geoffrey Alderman.
He told the JC he would “argue that under international law and in principle ethnic Jews have the right of settlement throughout the area of Mandate Palestine west of the Jordan River (including what is known as the West Bank), that this right extends to Jews whether or not they are citizens of the state of Israel, but not to Israeli citizens who are not ethnically Jewish, and that the state of Israel has a legal obligation to take any step and all steps necessary to uphold this right.”
The conference had originally been scheduled to take place at Southampton University in 2015, but was cancelled on health and safety grounds.
It will now be held at Cork City Hall on two days, with a third day taking place on the campus of University College Cork.
The university logo has been used to promote the event – with a disclaimer that while not officially sponsoring the event, UCC supports academic freedom.
