Professor Noam Chomsky was denied entry to Israel and the West Bank on Sunday. The 81-year-old academic was scheduled to speak at Bir Zeit University, but when he tried to cross over Allenby bridge from the Jordanian border his passport was stamped with “Denied Entry.” “‘Israel,’ Chomsky was informed, ‘doesn’t like what you have to say,'” reports “Haaretz.”
How does an elderly Jewish Professor of Linguistics pose a threat to Israeli national security? Here are a few possibilities:
Opinions are very dangerous, especially when one is scheduled to express his opinions to a bunch of people who share them, e.g., Chomsky to some Palestinians.
Chomsky hurt the feelings of the Knesset because he was only scheduled to speak in the West Bank. “First Obama won’t come to Israel? And now this?”
Due to a “drought” in Israel, Chomsky was actually smuggling hashish in his “tighty whities,” and wouldn’t smoke up the inspectors at the Jordanian/Israeli border.
Let’s assume for a minute that it’s okay to deny entry to a democratic state on the sole basis of political opinions. Still, why Chomsky? Sure, he identifies with the radical left, but who cares? He probably can’t stand up for more than half an hour at a time let alone pose any kind of threat. And the whole situation isn’t exactly helping Israel’s PR. From the “Haaretz” editorial page: “Israel looks like a bully who has been insulted by a superior intellect and is now trying to fight it, arrest it and expel it.” And remember: Israel welcomes the Pope, Chinese officials, Lady Gaga, Pastor John Hagee and even Madonna. Is Chomsky really more menacing than that group? But it’s okay. Chomsky will teleconference his speech instead. Pretty high-tech for an old guy.
For more insight as to why this octogenarian scares the crap out of the Israeli government, read Heeb’s interview with Professor Noam Chomsky.
You may make a laugh on the case but it’s really not funny. Israel has all rights to deny entry to any one she wants without any explanation, as any other state has. The US deny visas to Israelis who were born in Arab states. Why? Because! Canada, Britain and France deny entry of thousands of Islamists and right wing activists mainly because of the ideas that they spread.
Israel doesn’t want that people as Chomsky to enter Israel and the WB to spread verbally their ideas. The direct damage might cost blood to many Israelis and Arabs. Chomsky as the KKK, but from different idea, neglects the right of Israel to survive. If an Israeli would have distributing such idea on the US, would he get a visa to New York or occupied New Mexico?
@ AbeBird: I can’t take anyone seriously who compares Chomsky to the KKK. Get off Heeb and stop making Israelis look bad, AbeBird! Please!
It gets harder and harder to summon the energy to defend Israel’s actions, despite my affection for it. For me personally, I’ll put my contemporary liberal American ideals and principals up against anyone else’s at any time, any place, without fear. Bring it on. If Israel were really the State it should be, it would take the same attitude towards ANYONE who wanted to speak there. To deny Chomsky entry screams…”we dont have a leg to stand on” in the ideas department. Sad.