לשכת הרקטור אוניברסיטת חיפה
UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA OFFICE OF THE RECTOR
February 21, 2005
AllegedRemarks by Dr. David Bukai
On January 14, 2005, an article appeared in the Kolbo newspaper that quoted purported remarks made by Dr. David Bukai in the context of his course, “The Inter-Arab System and the Issue of Palestine.” These remarks and allegedly more extreme statements were published on the Nana Internet portal on January 24, 2005, and in their wake were circulated in Arab newspapers and on the Internet network in Israel and abroad.
A special relationship exists between Jews and Arabs at the University of Haifa, which views the cultivation of tolerance, mutual understanding, and coexistence as major values in its public and academic mission. Utterances of a racist nature are completely unacceptable here.
As to the matter at hand, the Rector of the University conducted an examination, in the course of which interviews were conducted with Mr. Fadi Abu-Yones and a woman student, to whom were attributed the quotes on the Internet and in the press, and other participants in the course. In addition to the interviews, letters that students in the course had sent to the Rector were inspected.
The examination showed that the remarks attributed to Dr. Bukai in the Kolbo newspaper and especially on the Internet were never made in the manner in which they were cited and that parts of sentences and words aired in different contexts were combined manipulatively. The discussions that had been conducted in class were in the framework of a legitimate handling of topics pertaining to the historical and political contexts of the course. As for the alleged quote that was cited in the media, “All Arabs must be grabbed, an axe held to their heads, and they should be shot,” and the statement also quoted in the media, “all mosques should be destroyed with all its worshippers or a building with its residents,” even Mr. Abu-Yones himself denied that these were made.
In general, the inquiry showed that the lecturer gave a free hand to all course participants, during at least the first half of the lesson, to argue, to express a stand, and to vent attitudes. Whoever wanted to clarify an issue or a stand that had been presented in the class and to offer an alternative position on the basis of other findings could have done so.
The Rector of the University will clarify to Dr. Bukai that it is important to moderate the way statements are made on sensitive issues out of consideration that certain remarks might be taken out of context and interpreted as aggressive or too sharp toward some course participants.
The management of the University expresses outrage at the manner in which the remarks were presented by the Nana web portal, without corroboration, as though they were direct quotations, and at the great damage done to the reputation of the lecturer and the good name of the University of Haifa.
The University management as a rule utterly rejects any expression of a racist nature and looks upon tolerance and mutual respect as sublime values for all elements of the University community. The University works diligently to cultivate fair and proper relations between Arabs and Jews in general and on campus in particular.
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