In Praise of Judea Pearl

This article first appeared in New English Review.


Hat tip Algemeiner, (L.A.) Jewish Journal, ZOA, Israeli-American Civic Action Network, and The Israel Group


Dr Judea Pearl, UCLA


“The incomprehensible blunder of the city of North Hollywood made me realize that my generation, the Counter-Holocaust Survivors of 1945-1948, is in danger of becoming extinct, and that the American public, Jews included, knows close to nothing about the intended Arab genocide of 1947-1948. Like European Holocaust survivors, we must bear witness.”
-Dr Judea Pearl, UCLA


On a campus that has had more than its share of lunacy and anti-Semitic expressions the past several years, UCLA professor Judea Pearl stands out like a shining star. Pearl is the father of slain journalist, Daniel Pearl, a victim of Islamic terror in Pakistan. Dr Pearl has long had to contend with campus anti-Semites posing as human rights activists on behalf of the Palestinian cause. This week, Dr Pearl has twice taken the lead in making a principled stand.

In the wake of New York University (NYU) presenting their "President's Service" award to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Pearl has notified NYU that he is renouncing his status as a distinguished alumnus.

Dr Pearl also refused an invitation to join a panel for a post-film discussion on the controversial anti-Israel film, 1948-Creation and Catastrophe, which was put on by the municipality of West Hollywood on April 16.

I commend Dr Pearl for both of his actions. In the latter case, what is the point of being the only pro-Israel member of a panel that is made up of anti-Israel activists like Robin Kelly, Sandy Tolan, and James Gelvin, not to mention the moderator, Estee Chandler (Jewish Voice for Peace)?

As we have previously reported, this one-sided "documentary" was recently shown at UC Irvine, presented by the two producers and moderated by UCI comedian, Mark LeVine, who, when he isn't teaching whatever he teaches at UCI, is a frequent speaker against Israel.

Here is an article from Jewish Journal (Los Angeles) on the film's showing in West Hollywood on April 16. It  features the above quote from Professor Pearl.

The pro-Palestinian movement in the US is masked as a human rights movement. It is actually a thinly disguised effort to bring about the downfall of Israel and the removal of Jews from the Middle East. It is anti-Semitic to its core. As for Students for Justice in Palestine, they are nothing more than a national organization of brown-shirts who use tactics of intimidation and disruption to further their cause. Sadly, there are even American Jews who have linked arms with this movement.

Dr Judea Pearl is not one of them.