Israel Matzav

French university ordered closed to avoid 'Israel apartheid week'

The despicable 'Israel apartheid week' will be taking place on many college campuses in the US and Europe this week, but one French university - Paris Sorbonne No. 8 - will be closed and its gates locked for two days so as to prevent the event from taking place.

Israel Radio is reporting that the Sorbonne's President has forbidden Israel apartheid week from taking place on its campus, and that prohibition has the backing of the French courts. However, the pro-'Palestinian' 'activists' have said that they will hold the event by force. As a result, the university's President has ordered the university closed on Monday and Tuesday to prevent the event from taking place. In response to charges by the 'activists' that not allowing the event will impair 'academic freedom,' the university has said that there is no academic freedom at an event where the other side cannot respond.

The university suggested holding the event off campus, but the 'activists' refused.

I found the story in French here (not online in Israel yet as far as I have seen). Here's a Google translation (it's a blog in Le Monde - apparently by someone who favors holding the event):

This conference, initially authorized by Binczak Pascal, president of Paris 8, 17 was canceled Friday for risk to public order. Another location (the Trade Union of St Denis) had been made available so that this conference could be held.

The group had decided to file a petition for freedom to the administrative court of Montreuil to obtain the annulment of the decision of Pascal Binczak. Friday 24, the court rejected this request Whereas this decision to withdraw is not "a serious and manifestly illegal freedoms of assembly and expression in an institution dedicated to reflection."

In a statement released early Saturday afternoon, the Collective Palestine Paris 8 said he took note of the decision of the referee. He believes that "the rejection of interim deals with the emergency, but leaves untouched the debate on the merits. No law and no court order prohibits today to student (s) to invite a university researchers and specialists of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians to present their work and their opinions. "

"We are a collective of student (s) of Paris 8, which aims to maintain and develop the discussion in our university. We invited several scholars and researchers, whose work has the right to be presented at a university. We insist that our university remains a place of debate and free expression, despite intimidation of some and the timidity of the other. The conference will take place in Paris 8, despite the reversal of the President of the University who, after allowing the initiative, has dared to suggest, in an unworthy "platform" published in Le Monde (edition of 25 that it could lead to "anti-Semitic excesses." infamous Charge, whose employment has no other purpose than to discredit the other, unable to contradict him, "said Collective Palestine Paris 8.

And this is France folks - not the US! I'm in shock!

Labels: France, Israeli apartheid week

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:09 PM