Jewish group cancels deputy Israel FM's Princeton talk

A planned talk by Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely was cancelled by the Hillel Centre for Jewish Life at Princeton University, following a petition by progressive activists on campus.

Following Hillel’s withdrawal, the talk went ahead after the Princeton Chabad stepped in and agreed to host the controversial senior diplomat.

Hotovely is currently touring US campuses in order “to combat the growing influence of the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement (BDS) in American universities”.

Hotovely’s visit was opposed by a student group called the Alliance of Jewish Progressives, who organised a petition against the deputy minister on the basis of her opposition on Palestinian statehood and support for West Bank settlements.

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According to the deputy minister, Hillel’s decision to cancel her lecture “with no warning and without just cause” attests to a “deep and severe crisis of values”.

The rearranged and relocated talk attracted a peaceful protest by Jewish and Palestinian students, who held placards with slogans like “I believe in Palestinian history – why don’t you, MK?” and “Israeli domination is not peace”.

Note: This page was updated at 14:55 GMT on November 7, 2017 to correct inaccuracies in the headline.