Law professor Hanoch Sheinman wrote to his students saying “
[he hopes his message] finds you in a safe place, and that you, your
families and those dear to you are not among the hundreds of people
that were killed, the thousands wounded, or the tens of thousands whose
homes were destroyed or were forced to leave their homes during, or
as a direct result of, the violent confrontation in the Gaza Strip and
its environs.” This innocuous expression of sympathy evoked a
storm of protest from students, faculty and administrators according
to
a
report in Ha’aretz.
Dean of the law faculty, Prof. Shahar Lifshitz, issued an urgent message
to the students . “I was shocked to learn of the email sent to
you by Professor Sheinman, it was a hurtful letter, and since this morning
we have been justifiably flooded with messages from students and family
members” despite going on to claim, “The faculty champions
the values of pluralism, tolerance, and freedom of expression”.
Professor Lifshitz told students he would uphold freedom of expression
promising that “the matter will be handled with the appropriate
seriousness.”
Petition
in defence of Hanoch Sheinman
Israel
Professor Gets in Big Trouble for Showing Concern for Gaza War Victims
– Jewish Daily Forward