Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law at the Faculty of Law Institute of Criminology of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, has been asked to step down after she signed the letter titled “Childhood researchers and students call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza”. CCS urges the administration of Hebrew University to show respect for academic freedom and the freedom of speech, and immediately and publicly rescind the request to Shalhoub-Kevorkian to resign.
December 4, 2023
Professor Asher Cohen
President of the Hebrew University
Administration Building
Mount Scopus
Jerusalem 9190501
ISRAEL
hupres@savion.huji.ac.il
Dear President Cohen,
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is a fifty-year-old independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We are writing to express our concern about the treatment by your administration of Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law at the Faculty of Law Institute of Criminology and the School of Social Work and Public Welfare. According to reports that have been circulated in the press and on social media, she was asked to resign after she signed a letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian is an international renowned scholar, author of numerous books and research articles, member of several editorial boards, and recipient of international awards. Her opinion on certain issues may disagree with that of the university administration, or with the opinions of other scholars, but punishing her for signing the letter titled “Childhood researchers and students call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza” is unbecoming of a highly respected educational institution committed to protecting academic freedom and the freedom of speech. It has been reported that the university’s call for her to step down has been distributed on social media and has resulted in Professor Shalhoub-Kevorkian fearing for her own safety.
We urge you to immediately and publicly rescind the request to Shalhoub-Kevorkian to resign and ensure that she has a safe environment at the university.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
https://concernedscientists.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/signatures.png
CC: Prof. Tamir Sheafer, Rector of Hebrew University, rector@savion.huji.ac.il