In an effort to address the manipulation of academic language whereby Israel is demonized and its foes are cast as victims, a group of Israel and Jewish studies professors collaborated on a special issue of Israel Studies---a journal affiliated with the Association for Israel Studies---titled “Word Crimes: Reclaiming the Language of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.”
The reaction from anti-Israel members of the association was swift, hysterical, censorious, and calculated. University of Pennsylvania Middle East studies professor Ian Lustick was particularly incensed that several “Word Crimes” contributors were affiliated with Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, which he mischaracterized as “a straight-out advocacy organization.”
The truth is Lustick and his ilk have no problem with politicization when it’s in pursuit of bashing Israel; their animosity only applies to those attempting to push back with the truth.
