Students heckle pro-Israeli Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz in Doha
Students heckle pro-Israeli Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz in Doha
Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz once justified calls for right-wing ultra-Zionist Jews to intimidate US institutions into supporting Israel, encouraging them to utilise 'Jewish power'.
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Dershowitz is a notorious defender and apologist for Israel [Getty]
Qatari activists on Sunday heckled notorious pro-Israeli US academic Alan Dershowitz during a lecture at Northwestern University in Doha, shouting pro-Palestinian slogans and waving Palestinian flags.
The students told Dershowitz "Zionists were not welcome in Qatar", amid applause by some of those in attendance.
Author of The Case for Israel, Alan Dershowitz is a well-known and almost uncritical defender of Israel who has led campaigns against anti-Israel boycott movements and critics of the occupation of Palestinian territories.
He is thought to be the most important figure in the smear campaign against Israel critic Norman Finkelstein, which led to him being denied tenure following allegations of anti-Semitism, despite Finkelstein himself being Jewish.
The official page of Qatar Youth Against Normalization (QAYON) had denounced the invitation extended to Dershowitz to speak at a Qatari university, calling for a boycott of the event and demanding accountability for those behind it.
The students told Dershowitz "Zionists were not welcome in Qatar", amid applause by some of those in attendance.
Author of The Case for Israel, Alan Dershowitz is a well-known and almost uncritical defender of Israel who has led campaigns against anti-Israel boycott movements and critics of the occupation of Palestinian territories.
He is thought to be the most important figure in the smear campaign against Israel critic Norman Finkelstein, which led to him being denied tenure following allegations of anti-Semitism, despite Finkelstein himself being Jewish.
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The official page of Qatar Youth Against Normalization (QAYON) had denounced the invitation extended to Dershowitz to speak at a Qatari university, calling for a boycott of the event and demanding accountability for those behind it.
"Dershowitz is a Zionist who made his name and career by defending the Zionist project and justifying its massacres," QAYON posted on Twitter.
In February, QAYON organised a Twitter campaign to protest hosting Israeli athletes in Qatar, most recently during the 2018 Handball World School Championship in Doha.
In 2013, Qatari authorities substituted a totally white flag in place of the Israeli flag during the official broadcasts of the swimming championship.
The next year, however, following an outcry, the Israeli flag was displayed at the Qatari tournament.
As Qatar prepares to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup, it has said Israel would be allowed to compete in the tournament should they qualify as it likely wants to avoid further bad publicity ahead of the event.
Qatar closed down an Israeli representative office following Israel's war on Gaza in 2009. The two countries have no full diplomatic relations, but have coordinated to faciliate the delivery of Qatari aid to Gaza.
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