Fury over LSE launch for new book that ‘whitewashes' Hamas
A leading university has been criticised for hosting the launch of a new book accused of 'whitewashing' Hamas.
Understanding Hamas and Why That Matters, which claims the proscribed terror organisation is subjected to vilification, will be launched at the London School of Economics (LSE) next month.
Campaigners have accused LSE of disregarding the group's violent history, including the Oct 7 massacre, and have urged it to cancel the event.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism claimed that the book is 'an outrageous attempt to whitewash Hamas' barbaric acts of horror', and the LSE event itself is further evidence of how British universities 'have become epicentres of Jew-hatred'.
Anti-Semitic abuse on campuses in the UK has reached record levels following the Hamas attacks against Israel on Oct 7, according to a report by the Community Security Trust (CST).
In December, the CST found that widespread pro-Palestine activism led to many Jewish students feeling university life had become increasingly 'hostile' towards Jews.
Students at LSE slept in the university's atrium for more than a month in support of Palestine and only left after losing a legal challenge.
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'This book's synopsis describes Hamas as 'a widely misunderstood movement' and says that 'the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has been subjected to intense vilification'. Perhaps that is because it capped decades of lethal suicide bombings with the massacre of 1,200 and the abduction of some 250 people.
'Is such conduct not worthy of 'vilification'?
'This appears to be an outrageous attempt to whitewash Hamas's barbaric acts of horror.
'For all their virtuous anti-racism rhetoric, our universities have become epicentres of Jew-hatred and this event is yet another example of how bad the problem is. We will be writing to LSE, which must cancel this propaganda event immediately.'
The university's Middle East Centre, which is hosting the event on March 10, said the book explores Hamas's 'shift from social and religious activism to national political engagement'.
The talk will feature the book's author and academics researching the Middle East.
The centre's director Michael Mason, who will chair the book launch, said the event is 'covered by LSE's commitment to academic freedom and free speech'.
In a statement to The Jewish Chronicle, he said: 'The Middle East Centre does not (as with LSE as an institution) take a formal position on political or international issues.
'We endeavour to provide a platform to facilitate discourse on contemporary matters by encouraging critical debate, within the law, where the views of all parties are treated with respect.'
He added 'Nothing from the hosting of this event can reasonably be construed as the Middle East Centre or LSE condoning Hamas and its actions on October 7.'
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