Israeli Universities Criticized for Embracing Self-Hatred and Rejecting National Defense

A recent attack in Berlin by a young man linked to the Islamic State, which killed one woman and injured 29 others near Pride events, exposed contradictions within progressive politics in the West. The attacker’s radical Islamist ideology conflicts fundamentally with queer liberalism, despite past pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin that symbolized a supposed alliance among oppressed groups. This ideological clash is now reflected in Israeli universities, where progressive culture has deeply influenced academic institutions.

At Tel Aviv University, President Ariel Porat and Rector Noga Kronfeld-Shor recently apologized to faculty members offended by the invitation of Dr. Danny Gold, a key developer of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, to speak at a doctoral ceremony. The apology was issued because the lecture involved military and security topics, including missile launches, which some faculty found uncomfortable. This incident highlights a broader trend where Israeli academia prioritizes appeasing radical left-wing sensitivities over embracing pluralism or national security realities.

Many Israeli academics align their perspectives with elite American universities, often criticizing Israel and signaling virtue to gain acceptance in the global academic community. Professor Yael Sternhell of Tel Aviv University, for example, supports U.S. restrictions on arms supplies to Israel, even after the October 7 attacks, reflecting a continuity of radical leftist views from her father, Professor Ze'ev Sternhell.

This ideological stance extends beyond academia into Israel’s judiciary, where some judges openly side with left-wing activists. The article argues that this "woke" culture in Israel is less about compassion and more about moral posturing to gain Western approval by condemning Israeli society and its right to self-defense.

Ultimately, the piece asserts that such virtue signaling does not deter Islamist extremists, who view all Israelis, regardless of political stance, as enemies. While symbolic apologies and leftist activism do not stop rocket attacks, Israel’s Iron Dome system remains a critical defense. The author, constitutional law expert Professor Moshe Cohen-Eliya, concludes that Israeli universities have become arenas of self-hatred rather than pluralistic debate, undermining Israel’s security and national pride.