by Dr. Haim Shine
The University of Haifa
decided not to give an honorary doctorate to Nobel Prize winner
Professor Robert Aumann. The reason: His right-wing views, which
contradict the left-wing, pro-Palestinian spirit of the university. We
recently learned that the Knesset Education, Culture and Sports
Committee will reportedly discuss the university's law clinics'
practices of late, a third of which have focused on Palestinian rights,
including the rights of Hamas terrorists serving prison sentences in
Israel.
Aumann, a leading
scholar of mathematics and game theory, does not need the University of
Haifa's respect. His academic excellence does not require the
university's affirmation, which is rather small by comparison. Every
important international institution has opened its doors to him.
Students the world over have flocked to Jerusalem to study under Aumann,
learning the basic tenets of human logic.
The Executive
Committee's disqualification of Aumann oozed politics. A post-Zionist
Israeli university has rejected an internationally recognized scientist
just because he is Zionist. Aumann's biggest sin is that he believes, in
accordance with game theory, that the left-wing's obsession with
concessions is illogical and totally dangerous. After several years'
experience, one no longer has to be a distinguished professor to
understand that capitulation, withdrawal and concessions do nothing to
advance peace. On the contrary, they push peace further away. Honorary
doctorates are given for scientific merit, not political opinions, and
that is very important to understand. Academic disqualification based on
political beliefs is reminiscent of humanity's darkest days.
Executive Committee
Chairman Ami Ayalon (a former head of the Shin Bet), one of Yasser
Arafat's eminent defense attorneys against Ehud Barak, is behind this
bad decision. Ayalon accused Israel of triggering the Palestinian
frustration that sparked the Second Intifada. He also advocated
withdrawing to the 1967 borders, even unilaterally, to establish the
Palestinian state. If these are the Executive Committee chairman's
principles, it is no wonder that demonstrations against the Israel
Defense Forces pop up during military incursions into the Gaza Strip, or
that tensions flourish on campus during commemorations for the Nakba.
While Israel is
struggling on every international stage against mixing science and
politics, the University of Haifa is jumping in, throwing its support
behind Israeli academia's most ardent adversaries. If Aumann is
disqualified at the University of Haifa for his nationalist opinions, it
is no wonder that universities in Britain reject Israeli scientists
just because, in their eyes, the Haifa campus is located in occupied
Palestine. The Executive Committee's decision cuts off the very branches
supporting the university. Overseas, they don't distinguish between
Israeli universities. As far as they're concerned, all of Israeli
academia is contaminated.
Aumann will not play the
university's game -- indeed, he's an expert in game theory. My advice to
the university is that it apologize to Israel's Zionist citizens.
Dr. Haim Shine
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=6667
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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