MLA delegates pass motion to safeguard critics of Israel’s apartheid and racism

Philadelphia (Quds News Network) — The Modern Language Association’s Delegate Assembly—the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature—has passed a critical “emergency motion”, vehemently defending college and university employees and students facing threats, harassment, and violence for their criticism of Israel’s actions against Palestinians.

The MLA Annual Convention, spanning the weekend, delved into discussions on the Gaza war, with a particularly contentious open hearing preceding the Delegate Assembly. The assembly approved the motion championing free speech critical of Israel, while rejecting a broader motion supporting “academic freedom and free expression” without explicit mention of Palestine or Israel.

With 279 MLA delegates, approximately 140 were present at the assembly meeting for the final vote, where only a few opposed the successful motion. The rejected statement aimed for a general defense of all college and university members, irrespective of their stance on the Middle East conflict.

The approved motion calls on the MLA Executive Council to immediately urge North American English and language departments, along with university administrations, to defend faculty, students, and staff.

The emphasis, however, lies on those who have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, rejected the equation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism, and contextualized recent events in the long history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In the backdrop of the broader debate on alleged campus antisemitism, the American Association of University Professors has similarly rejected categorizing pro-Palestinian speech or critiques of Israel as inherently antisemitic.

The motion, initially proposed by the MLA’s Radical Caucus, received applause upon its passage. The debate during the Delegate Assembly, with over 4,000 registrants, lasted for more than an hour before a delegate motion concluded discussions.

Leila Walker, an assistant professor at Queens College, likened the rejected general motion to “All Lives Matter,” emphasizing the need to address the specific challenges faced by advocates of pro-Palestinian speech. Delegates echoed this sentiment, asserting the disproportionate attacks on this form of expression.

Anthony Alessandrini highlighted the increased attacks on faculty, students, and staff supporting Palestinian solidarity in the past three months, justifying the need for specificity in the motion. About 50 attendees at the Delegate Assembly overwhelmingly supported the passed motion.

While absent from the assembly, Cary Nelson, co-author of the defeated motion and a prominent defender of Israel, criticized the votes as an “organizational pivot” to anti-Zionism. He argued for equal protection for all students, irrespective of their stance on the Middle East conflict.

In contrast, Michael Saenger, speaking against the Radical Caucus motion, emphasized the importance of protecting members who condemn Hamas’s actions and advocated for open debate on the Gaza conflict. Nouri Gana, opposing the general motion, stressed the urgency of addressing the targeted group of students and faculty.