The Israeli historian Ilan Pappe spoke on September 14, 2018, at the City Club of Cleveland.
Attempts were made to prevent Prof. Pappe from speaking, however the President of the Board of Directors of the City Club explained why they did not retract the invitation. She said that a forum devoted to freedom of speech will use this as an opportunity to reflect on the role the City Club plays in the community. We believe, she said, that our work requires us to listen and learn.
As the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians continues, many question the very representation of the Zionist state. Ilan Pappe, Ph.D., Professor of History and Director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter, UK, is one of those critics. In his book, The Idea of Israel: A History of Power and Knowledge, he examines the role of Zionist ideology in shaping the country’s academic and cultural institutions.
Topics covered:
Antisemitism, development of Jewish nationalism, and the referral of the question of Palestine to the UN. Palestinians did not accept the UN idea that more than half of Palestine was to be given to the Jews. Ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. NY Times and Red Cross reported on deportations. But the international community felt unable to be critical of Jews as victims of the recent Holocaust. Period of Settler Colonialism and Apartheid. The right of return for the Palestinians who were expelled before and after the founding of Israel in 1948.
Professor Ilan Pappe was recorded by ideastream, Cleveland’s nonprofit public media company on 9/14/2018.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 39.8MB)
