Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill have planned an anti-Zionist and anti-Israel conference camouflaged as a conference on Gaza, March 22-24. Several scheduled speakers have compared Israel to Nazis and many others promote boycotting Israel. One of the opening speakers refers to Israel as a “terrorist state.”
Bob Gutman, Co-Chair of Voice4Israel, wrote this concise, strong letter to UNC and Duke officials.
Duke President Vincent Price, UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Duke Chair, Board of Trustees, Jack O. Bovender, Jr., UNC Board of Governors, Chair Harry L. Smith, Jr.
I am a retired nephrologist at Duke. The hosting of the Conference titled: “Conflict Over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities” sounds good when I read the title.
But the obvious deliberate choosing of speakers noted for their opposition to Israel about which you have already learned about needs adult attention. For academic institutions to allow such severe abridgment of expected scholarly standards is highly improper.
Please insist on a follow-up symposium that explains to the same public why Israel is caught in a bind promulgated by their neighbors and now, by so many institutions such as yours.
Sincerely
Robert Gutman
Be like Bob Gutman and Make Your Voice Heard!
Contact the following UNC and Duke leaders to voice your concerns about this unbalanced and biased conference against Israel.
Duke President Vincent Price (919) 684-2424 vincent.price@duke.edu
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz 919-962-1365 chancellor@unc.edu
Duke Chair, Board of Trustees, Jack O. Bovender, Jr. boardchair@duke.edu
UNC Board of Governors, Chair Harry L. Smith, Jr. public@bog.northcarolina.edu