November 21, 2005
Israel's embassy in Ireland has sent an open letter to the provost of Trinity College, Dublin, protesting a “Palestinian Awareness Week” being held on campus, JTA reports. The letter charges that the scheduled events, which include public meetings, films and a protest outside the offices of a construction firm that does business in Israel, “is less concerned with raising Palestinian awareness than with anti-Israel activity.” The embassy was particularly concerned about a scheduled debate on the academic boycott of Israel, which the letter described as “anathema to the concept of free academic expression.” The Palestinian week was held Nov. 14-18 at Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious university, and was organized by the Trinity One World Society. The schedule of speakers did not include anyone espousing an Israeli point of view.