Brazil university cancels course by Israeli academic after protests

The Institute of Political Science (IPOL) at the University of Brasilia (UnB) cancelled a course which was due to be taught by Israeli Professor Jorge Gordin after students protested his presence despite being a vocal supporter of “Israeli military propaganda”.

Gordin, who teaches at the Hebrew University in occupied Jerusalem, is known for his open and unwavering support for Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and its military.

The head of the Academic Centre for Political Science (CAPOL) at UnB, Maynara Navi, said the students campaign against the visiting professor was “spontaneous”, noting that the cancellation was received with great satisfaction, as both the Association of Professors (ADUnB) and the University Council have already declared that Israel is an apartheid regime.

“It must be said that Brazilian public funds were used to bring this professor to give a lecture at the university, which must be stopped and reviewed,” she continued.

“This professor comes from a university located in illegally occupied territories, so …. all the academic production he does costs the Palestinians a heavy price,” Navi added.

In April 2023, Palestinian and Brazilian organisations succeeded in forcing the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) to cancel the Israeli Universities Festival, after peaceful demonstrators blocked the entrances to the building, and announced that they “will not allow Brazilian universities to be used to market occupation, colonialism apartheid and Zionism.”

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