Editor's Note: This letter is a response to this previously published letter. The previously published letter was unintentionally published without the author listed and has been corrected. The below mentioned anonymous author refers to the Palestine Solidarity Committee.
I was surprised to find the "LETTER: How the Israel lobby at IU suppresses speech for Palestinian rights" published in the IDS. The letter, first published anonymously, is full of personal accusations and false information which makes a rational debate very difficult.
The director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East, Feisal Istrabadi, did not accuse any students of being antisemitic he just criticized a flyer by a student group for using an antisemitic cartoon and apologized that this flyer went out on the center's mailing list unchecked. This is precisely what we would expect when offensive imagery against any group gets disseminated and Professor Istrabadi showed great integrity and leadership in his response.
However, instead of investigating why the cartoon is likely to evoke antisemitic sentiments the author(s) feel persecuted by "the Israel lobby" on campus. They claim that they are not allowed to speak about the suffering of Palestinians because someone criticizes the way they do it. Painting the world in black and white and the feeling of being permanently persecuted by a small group of powerful people are among the characteristics of an antisemitic mindset.
Günther Jikeli
IU Associate Professor
