"UK Lawyers for Israel describes its mission as contributing generally as lawyers to creating a supportive climate of opinion in the United Kingdom towards Israel. In practice, this has meant lawfare, directed not only at pro-Palestinian activism, but at the public existence of Palestinian identity itself."
"The OU's reply was clear. Ancient Palestine was academically appropriate. The fifth-century BC Greek historian Herodotus used the term Palestine to describe a region broader than that acknowledged by UKLFI. While the lobby group insisted Mary was born in the predominantly Jewish region of Galilee, the university noted that there is no academic consensus that Mary existed at all."
Western institutions face unprecedented restrictions on free speech and academic freedom, with pro-Israel advocacy groups employing legal tactics to challenge scholarly language and historical references. A prominent example involves UK Lawyers for Israel challenging the Open University's use of the term "ancient Palestine" in describing the birthplace of the Virgin Mary, claiming historical inaccuracy and potential violations of equality law. The university's investigation confirmed that the term is academically appropriate, supported by historical sources including fifth-century BC historian Herodotus, and that no academic consensus exists regarding Mary's birthplace. Despite this validation, the institution conceded to concerns about contemporary political associations, demonstrating how legal pressure influences institutional decisions on acceptable academic discourse.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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