London University School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Annual Hebrew Programme Terminated **READ UPDATE TO THIS STORY**

London University School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Annual Hebrew Programme Terminated READ UPDATE TO THIS STORY

August 17, 2020

**UPDATE**

August 20, 2020

The Wiesenthal Centre has congratulated SOAS for deciding to continue the year abroad Hebrew programme now at Haifa University

PARIS – In a letter to United Kingdom Secretary of State for Education, Rt. Hon. Gavin Williamson, Simon Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, slammed London University School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Academic Board for the termination of its 'Annual Hebrew Programme.'

This was reportedly due to the charge that its Israeli partner, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ) campus lies on “occupied territory.”

“Even the European Union has recognized that, from Israel’s 1948 Independence until the 1967 Six Days War, the HUJ original campus was always part of Israel, within the 1967 lines,” recalled Samuels.

Two Professors of the SOAS Jewish Studies department, allegedly, suggested the following two 'alternative options', in: the Palestinian Territories universities of Bir Zeit and that of Al Quds, where Hebrew is taught as a foreign language"... Not a joke!,” the Centre stated, adding,"To study Hebrew in the Palestinian territories is akin to learning Turkish in Kurdistan, or Amharic in Eritrea."

SOAS sources argued that the college Academic Board policy has succumbed to extreme left pro-Palestinian activists. This goes back to the 2017 threats and heckling of invited lecturer, then Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev.

“We have brought this atmosphere of hate to the attention of the UK Secretary of State for Education, to seek possible measures to redeem a top London University... Hate is not freedom of expression!” concluded Samuels.

For further information, contact Dr. Samuels at csweurope@gmail.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).