Students from Sapir College are demanding that the administration immediately fire a lecturer who signed a petition calling on U.S. President Joe Biden to stop supplying arms to Israel.
Students from the college's Communications Department stated in their letter that a lecturer from the department, Dr. Regev Nathansohn, signed a petition calling on Biden to stop the transfer of all offensive weapons and funds related to Israel in support of the claim that Israel is committing "genocide" in the Gaza Strip.
"During a difficult time, terrorists committed and are committing horrible acts, to say the least, against our brothers and sisters," the students wrote. In the letter, they emphasized the "kidnapped people who remain captives in Gaza and suffer unimaginable suffering, as well as the "losses that our college suffered in the October 7 attack, and throughout the years as the lone bastion of learning in the Gaza envelope," adding: "We will not tolerate educators who incite and call for a boycott of our country, as well as these who slander our soldiers."
The students wrote that they learned that Nathansohn had signed the petition, and therefore demanded that he be fired immediately from his academic position at the college.
"We believe that his presence and political activity fundamentally damage the academic climate and the trust that we students place in our institution. His actions damage the fabric that connects the various people in the college. Just taking part in the education of students who were and still are fighting to protect all of us, and him, causes discomfort," they emphasized.
Sapir Academic College responded to the petition. "We strongly condemn statements against IDF soldiers and treat the harm experienced by the students with all seriousness. It is important for us to clarify beyond any doubt: the petition and its signatories do not represent Sapir in any way. Many of the students and faculty members at Sapir are survivors of the murderous Shabbat, evacuated from their homes, and serving in the reserves and security forces, and we support them. Along with the basic value of academic freedom and freedom of speech, which the college has been enshrining since its founding, the lecturer unequivocally made clear not to use the college's name in personal and/or political contexts, and he does not represent it in these contexts," according to the college.
Elhanan Fellheimer, CEO of the National Union of Israeli Students, condemned Nathansohn and other educators like him.
"Lecturers in Israeli academic staffs who sign this letter are inciting and harming the strength of the State of Israel. We are in a time of war against the enemies outside, it is sad to see that there are enemies at home. We are working to promote legislation that will deal with this and similar cases in academic staff."