An Israeli academic speaks out in defense of another, Professor Idan Landau, whose pay was docked by Ben Gurion University after he refused to do IDF reserve duty in the West Bank By Jerry Haber Some of my loyal readers have noticed that I have not blogged for a long time, almost a month. I should explain. I am now the Director of one of the largest university Jewish Studies programs in the country, and I have no time for anything "extra-curricular" as I learn how to do my job in the best manner possible. I am also working in…

Following a written assault against B'Tselem in Commentary Magazine, accusing it of being a "wolf in sheep's clothing," B'Tselem press officer Sarit Michaeli refutes his arguments point by point, showing that B'Tselem is widely regarded as essential to Israeli society By Sarit Michaeli There is an inherent contradiction in smear attacks such as Noah Pollak’s tirade against B’Tselem in the pages of Commentary. On the one hand Mr. Pollak would like to convince his readers that the world-respected B’Tselem – the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories – is an insignificant and alien fringe group in…