#Pelatine-Israel / Ben-Gurion University condemns Government Censorship Laws while suspending Professor Ben Daniel for criticizing IDF
Ben-Gurion University has illegally suspended Dr. Sebastian Ben Daniel after 18 years of teaching computer science for criticizing #IDF actions in the West Bank. His "crime"? Using the pseudonym "John Brown" on social media to condemn the killing of Palestinian civilians, including a pregnant woman and a 7-year-old child.
The right-wing organization "Im Tirtzu" orchestrated a pressure campaign, collecting 1,000+ student signatures demanding his firing. Shamefully, the university administration caved immediately, bypassing proper procedures and due process.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel has condemned this as "a hasty and illegal suspension" that "represents another step in academia's abandonment of fundamental values of free expression." They note this is part of a broader attack on democratic institutions, with parliament simultaneously advancing legislation to restrict academic freedom.
Prof. Oded Goldreich (who faced similar persecution when ministers tried to block his Israel Prize) defended Ben Daniel: "A university lecturer who is also a journalist and citizen published his opinion on a public forum unrelated to the university. His opinion is based on humanistic moral principles and extensive knowledge, but it's very unacceptable to fascist silencing organizations."
This isn't about "protecting students' feelings" as the university claims. It's about silencing critical voices and establishing a dangerous precedent where right-wing pressure can dictate who can speak and teach.
[…] "Ben Daniel has been serving as a computer science lecturer in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Ben-Gurion University for 18 years. Fourteen years ago, he began publishing criticism of Israel on social media (as well as in 'Haaretz' and other media outlets), alongside investigations on topics such as Military Police investigation files and arms trafficking. About three weeks ago, Ben Daniel referred to IDF activity in a refugee camp near Tulkarm where a Palestinian child was shot, writing, among other things: 'The IDF doesn't shoot at religious terrorists who attack civilians, but does murder a pregnant woman and a 7-year-old child because 'he looked at the ground,' not because of orders but because they were educated to murder Palestinian children.'"
Coverage in Hebrew:
https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/education/2025-03-07/ty-article/.premium/00000195-6ced-d46d-a3f7-eded22220000 or https://archive.is/2ujuA
https://zoha.org.il/135865/
https://zoha.org.il/130141/
@academicchatter
@israel
@palestine
#AcademicFreedom
#FreeSpeech
Ben-Gurion University has illegally suspended Dr. Sebastian Ben Daniel after 18 years of teaching computer science for criticizing #IDF actions in the West Bank. His "crime"? Using the pseudonym "John Brown" on social media to condemn the killing of Palestinian civilians, including a pregnant woman and a 7-year-old child.
The right-wing organization "Im Tirtzu" orchestrated a pressure campaign, collecting 1,000+ student signatures demanding his firing. Shamefully, the university administration caved immediately, bypassing proper procedures and due process.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel has condemned this as "a hasty and illegal suspension" that "represents another step in academia's abandonment of fundamental values of free expression." They note this is part of a broader attack on democratic institutions, with parliament simultaneously advancing legislation to restrict academic freedom.
Prof. Oded Goldreich (who faced similar persecution when ministers tried to block his Israel Prize) defended Ben Daniel: "A university lecturer who is also a journalist and citizen published his opinion on a public forum unrelated to the university. His opinion is based on humanistic moral principles and extensive knowledge, but it's very unacceptable to fascist silencing organizations."
This isn't about "protecting students' feelings" as the university claims. It's about silencing critical voices and establishing a dangerous precedent where right-wing pressure can dictate who can speak and teach.
[…] "Ben Daniel has been serving as a computer science lecturer in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Ben-Gurion University for 18 years. Fourteen years ago, he began publishing criticism of Israel on social media (as well as in 'Haaretz' and other media outlets), alongside investigations on topics such as Military Police investigation files and arms trafficking. About three weeks ago, Ben Daniel referred to IDF activity in a refugee camp near Tulkarm where a Palestinian child was shot, writing, among other things: 'The IDF doesn't shoot at religious terrorists who attack civilians, but does murder a pregnant woman and a 7-year-old child because 'he looked at the ground,' not because of orders but because they were educated to murder Palestinian children.'"
Coverage in Hebrew:
https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/education/2025-03-07/ty-article/.premium/00000195-6ced-d46d-a3f7-eded22220000 or https://archive.is/2ujuA
https://zoha.org.il/135865/
https://zoha.org.il/130141/
@academicchatter
@israel
@palestine
#AcademicFreedom
#FreeSpeech
האגודה לזכויות האזרח: השעייתו של המרצה באוניברסיטת בן גוריון – בלתי חוקית - זו הדרך
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