Mary Madigan has written about last week's "Nabka" (Catastrophe) conference at Columbia University. She attended and provides a first-hand report on the pontifications of Columbia professors Joseph Massad, Lila Abu Lughod, Gil Anidjar, and others. Mary wrote last month about NYU's "Academic Freedom" conference.
Here is the introduction of her essay, which was published today at FrontPage Magazine:
As Israelis look towards the future in their celebration of the nation's 60th birthday, some Palestinians cling to the past by commemorating what they call the "Nakba" or "the catastrophe." A faculty panel discussion held at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) last month and titled, "60 Years of Nakba—The Catastrophe of Palestine 1948-2008," was one of many similar lamentations held worldwide.
The tone from the outset was grim. Speakers acknowledged that another "Nakba" anniversary was confirmation that combined Palestinian and Arab attempts to eliminate the Jewish state have not succeeded.
To read the rest of her article, please click here.