Masked activists allegedly threatened to behead an Israeli-born professor during a lecture at a London university, in the most serious escalation of an ongoing student-led campaign to have him dismissed over his nationality and links to Israel’s military.
Michael Ben-Gad, an economics lecturer at City St George’s, has been targeted by pro-Palestinian activists demanding his removal because he served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) more than four decades ago. Israel’s system of national conscription applies to almost all Jewish, Druze and Circassian citizens, meaning that anyone from those communities who came of age in Israel would also have undertaken military duty, with men required to complete at least 32 months and women 24. Ben-Gad’s service took place between 1982 and 1985, long before his academic career began.
Speaking about the incident to Sky News, Professor Ben-Gad, who has worked at City St George’s since 2008, said: “I finished my lecture and it was invaded by protesters who came right up to my face and called me a war criminal and a Nazi.
“They refused to leave, they were masked. One of them made a threat about having my head chopped off.”
He added: “My main concern is for people who are far more vulnerable than I am and I mean particularly Jewish students who have been targeted all over the country.”
The incident follows a campaign by activists at City calling for Professor Ben-Gad’s dismissal, which coincided with the announcement of a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. Members of a group known as City Action for Palestine (CAP) have accused him of “working in a genocidal society” and “serving in the IOF [Israeli Occupation Forces] Armoured Corps”.
In a separate social media post, CAP said: “We will not be silenced. We will not allow evil to roam free on our campus”, adding: “Until Liberation & Return.”
The group has also circulated a graphic on social media using information from the university’s public website, highlighting the professor’s military record and previous employment at Israeli institutions.
In a striking example of what the American writer Freddie deBoer has termed “offence archaeology” – the practice of trawling through a person’s past to unearth affiliations or experiences deemed morally disqualifying – CAP described his tenure at the University of Haifa between 2001 and 2007 as “six years working in a genocidal society”. His undergraduate study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1988 was criticised as having taken place “in the occupied territories”.
The post, co-branded with another group called the Association of Student Activism for Palestine, concluded: “Shame on City for allowing a terrorist to be near and teach Arab and Muslim students.” A petition demanding his sacking has also been launched, and repeats accusations that he is a “terrorist” and a “war criminal”.
In mid-October, CAP organised a loud and disruptive protest on campus, again calling for Ben-Gad’s dismissal. Police were called to the Clerkenwell campus as masked activists displayed posters of Ben-Gad against a blood-stained background bearing the words: “Ex-IOF terrorist roaming in our lecture halls.” One demonstrator shouted: “He killed my people in Lebanon.”
In response to a campaign that has since intensified to include alleged death threats, more than 1,000 academics have signed an open letter condemning what they describe as a campaign of targeted harassment and affirming Ben-Gad’s “personal and intellectual freedom as an academic.”
The professor has also received strong backing from his institution. City St George’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein, told the Jewish Chronicle: “At City St George’s we will not tolerate bullying and harassment of our staff and students. It is unlawful and repugnant.”
Sir Anthony – whom protesters said had “blood on [his] hands” – added: “Neither Michael nor I are inclined to be bullied or intimidated. We stand up for our Jewish students, we stand up for our staff, and we stand up for the principles of freedom of expression which make our universities great.”
Separately, a City St George’s spokesperson said: “City St George’s fully supports and upholds freedom of expression within the law and is willing to engage in lawful discussion and debate across the full range of topics.
“However, unlawful and repugnant attempts to obstruct and interfere with our academic operations are another thing entirely, and the University will not tolerate the harassment of its staff and students.
“We will continue to support and protect our staff and students, including Michael, who has the full support of the University and its senior management team, as well as colleagues of all faiths and backgrounds.”
The open letter condemning the campaign and expressing support for Professor Ben-Gad’s personal and intellectual freedom as an academic continues to gather signatures from academics across the UK and abroad. Those wishing to read or add their names to the open letter can do so here.
This article forms part of the Committee for Academic Freedom’s monitoring of developments in UK higher education. To receive monthly updates and analysis on cases affecting academic freedom, click the link and subscribe to our newsletter.