“Robbery, violence and oppression have become the norm” in Israel, said Israeli professor Dr. Yaela Raanan on Thursday during a speech in Ramallah.
Raanan, who teaches at Sderot’s Sapir College, was one of the speakers who delivered remarks at the Palestinian Authority presidential headquarters in Ramallah in an event marking the United Nations’ “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.”
The event was attended by hundreds of people, including Fatah Central Committee secretary-general Jibril Rajoub and former Meretz Party head Mossi Raz.
Speaking against the backdrop of a picture of former PLO head Yasser Arafat, Raanan also accused Israel of implementing a “cruel policy” in the Negev, and a “violent policy” towards residents of the Gaza Strip.
Raanan further told the crowd that “Israel’s treatment of its Arab citizens is directly connected with the occupation,” and that “it is not by chance that the people who asked to be responsible for the home demolitions in the Negev live in settlements.”
“We will not stop until we reach our goal—until the occupation is over and until Israel stops controlling the Palestinian people,” Raanan concluded.
According to the pro-Israel watchdog organization Im Tirtzu, which first reported on the speech, Raanan has a long history of “slanderous anti-Israel activities,” including promoting boycotts on Israel.
Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg emphasized how anti-Israel Israeli professors play a leading role in promoting delegitimization of the Jewish state.
“While tremendous amounts of resources are invested in Israel and throughout the world to combat anti-Israel delegitimization, there are Israeli professors undermining these efforts by attacking Israel from within,” said Peleg.
“This is further evidence of how radical Israelis play a leading role in promoting delegitimization against Israel,” continued Peleg, “and universities must immediately work to root out this severe phenomenon.”
