University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina Chapel HilliStock

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is urging the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to cancel a fall course that will be taught by an instructor who it said denies Israel’s right to exist, described boycotting the Jewish State as “the only choice,” and “touts her intolerance for anyone who disagrees with her false and hateful anti-Israel views.”

In a letter sent to UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, ZOA advised the university that not cancelling the course would be in violation of the Resolution Agreement that UNC signed to resolve the “issues raised in an April 2019 complaint the ZOA filed against UNC with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).”

ZOA explained: “In that complaint, the ZOA alleged that UNC created a hostile environment for Jewish students in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, in connection with an ‘academic’ conference that UNC co-sponsored and hosted on March 22-24, 2019. The conference – titled ‘Conflict over Gaza: People, Politics and Possibilities’ – was one-sided and hostile to Israel, the ZOA alleged. In addition, it featured a rap singer who performed an offensive anti-Semitic song and encouraged the conference attendees to join in – and disgracefully, they did.”

In October 2019, UNC signed a the agreement requiring it to take “all steps reasonably designed to ensure that students enrolled in the University are not subjected to a hostile environment.”

Now, ZOA is alleging that going ahead with the course would put UNC in breach of the agreement.

“Jewish students, pro-Israel students, and other students who do not share this Israel-basher’s views will thus surely be subjected to a hostile environment in this class, in violation of the Resolution Agreement,” the ZOA wrote. “We urge UNC to replace the instructor with someone who will teach the facts and not push a personal anti-Israel agenda, and who will welcome all students’ points of view. If he does not, the ZOA will report UNC’s breach of the Resolution Agreement to OCR.”

In the letter, ZOA said that they are “deeply concerned that UNC will be violating its obligations under the Resolution Agreement if it permits a course to proceed this fall which will be taught by an overt Israel-basher who has made it clear that she has zero tolerance and contempt for anyone who disagrees with her views.”

They added: “We urge you to cancel the class or ensure that it is taught by someone else who will not be promoting a personal anti-Israel agenda in the classroom at the expense of history and the facts, and who will be tolerant and welcoming of different points of view.”

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)