Steven Salaita argues that a narrative regarding his employment situation at the University of Illinois fails to tell the whole story. Yet the defense he offers against charges of anti-Semitism in his tweets is itself selective and misleading.
He may claim that he has merely been a critic of Israel’s governmental policies. But his words — replete with echoes of traditional anti-Semitic motifs, images and language — are, in fact, often aimed not just at the state of Israel but at its supporters in this country. Whatever might be the governance and employment issues involving Salaita and the University of Illinois, let there be no misunderstanding about the content of many of his tweets. At a time when anti-Semitic incidents are on the rise globally and anti-Semitic rhetoric is becoming more widespread in mainstream circles, this ancient yet tenacious evil needs to be recognized and acknowledged wherever it might be found.
— Michael Kotzin, senior counselor to the president, Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago