Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism
The recently published paper “US Medical Schools’ 2024 Commencements and Antisemitism: Addressing Unprofessional Behavior” discusses antisemitism expressions and unprofessional behavior in US medical schools’ 2024 commencement ceremony. While we share the authors’ concerns regarding rising antisemit...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Rambam Health Care Campus
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.rmmj.org.il/issues/66/2042/manuscript |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850190505453813760 |
|---|---|
| author | Yasmeen Abu Fraiha Akiva Leibowitz |
| author_facet | Yasmeen Abu Fraiha Akiva Leibowitz |
| author_sort | Yasmeen Abu Fraiha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The recently published paper “US Medical Schools’ 2024 Commencements and Antisemitism: Addressing Unprofessional Behavior” discusses antisemitism expressions and unprofessional behavior in US medical schools’ 2024 commencement ceremony. While we share the authors’ concerns regarding rising antisemitic, anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim bias, alongside hateful behavior toward minorities and immigrants in the US in general and in medical schools in particular, we are also concerned about the significant bias informing this paper. The authors mistakenly conflate antisemitism with harsh criticism of Israeli government and the actions of its military, and legitimate acts of solidarity with people under oppression. This fallacy is further aggravated by serious concerns (mentioned by the authors themselves) involving the paper’s methodological and statistical shortcomings. Ultimately, the paper lacks scientific rigor and appears to be ideologically motivated rather than a contribution to objective research. Scholars worldwide, Jews and Israelis amongst them, have demonstrated that these are legitimate protests, and the interpretation of their messaging as antisemitic is just another way to silence Palestinian voices calling for freedom and liberation, and delegitimizing critique on the Israeli government. This paper aims to provide the reader with currently published evidence and scientific controversy regarding this issue, that the discussed paper failed to mention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aa4b78552d7844f496df96ae5967a2c1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-9172 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Rambam Health Care Campus |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-aa4b78552d7844f496df96ae5967a2c12025-08-20T02:15:16ZengRambam Health Care CampusRambam Maimonides Medical Journal2076-91722025-04-01162e001110.5041/RMMJ.10546Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and AntisemitismYasmeen Abu Fraiha0Akiva Leibowitz1Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA and Middle East Initiative, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, USAMiddle East Initiative, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, USAThe recently published paper “US Medical Schools’ 2024 Commencements and Antisemitism: Addressing Unprofessional Behavior” discusses antisemitism expressions and unprofessional behavior in US medical schools’ 2024 commencement ceremony. While we share the authors’ concerns regarding rising antisemitic, anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim bias, alongside hateful behavior toward minorities and immigrants in the US in general and in medical schools in particular, we are also concerned about the significant bias informing this paper. The authors mistakenly conflate antisemitism with harsh criticism of Israeli government and the actions of its military, and legitimate acts of solidarity with people under oppression. This fallacy is further aggravated by serious concerns (mentioned by the authors themselves) involving the paper’s methodological and statistical shortcomings. Ultimately, the paper lacks scientific rigor and appears to be ideologically motivated rather than a contribution to objective research. Scholars worldwide, Jews and Israelis amongst them, have demonstrated that these are legitimate protests, and the interpretation of their messaging as antisemitic is just another way to silence Palestinian voices calling for freedom and liberation, and delegitimizing critique on the Israeli government. This paper aims to provide the reader with currently published evidence and scientific controversy regarding this issue, that the discussed paper failed to mention.https://www.rmmj.org.il/issues/66/2042/manuscriptactivismantisemitismbiasisrael–gaza warprotest |
| spellingShingle | Yasmeen Abu Fraiha Akiva Leibowitz Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal activism antisemitism bias israel–gaza war protest |
| title | Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism |
| title_full | Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism |
| title_fullStr | Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism |
| title_short | Letter to the Editor: There Should Be a Clear Distinction Between Legitimate Protest and Antisemitism |
| title_sort | letter to the editor there should be a clear distinction between legitimate protest and antisemitism |
| topic | activism antisemitism bias israel–gaza war protest |
| url | https://www.rmmj.org.il/issues/66/2042/manuscript |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yasmeenabufraiha lettertotheeditorthereshouldbeacleardistinctionbetweenlegitimateprotestandantisemitism AT akivaleibowitz lettertotheeditorthereshouldbeacleardistinctionbetweenlegitimateprotestandantisemitism |