{"id":265470,"date":"2024-07-01T12:00:51","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T11:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=265470"},"modified":"2024-06-27T05:52:04","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T04:52:04","slug":"a-call-for-retraction-the-recent-american-psychologist-article-on-antisemitism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/07\/a-call-for-retraction-the-recent-american-psychologist-article-on-antisemitism\/","title":{"rendered":"A Call for Retraction: The Recent American Psychologist Article on Antisemitism"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Source: Roy Eidelson<\/p><\/div>\n

25 Jun 2024 <\/em>– It is disappointing and distressing to see that the\u00a0American Psychologist<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 the flagship journal of the American Psychological Association (APA) \u2014 has published an\u00a0article<\/a>[1]<\/a>\u00a0titled \u201cThe American Psychological Association and Antisemitism: Toward Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.\u201d The authors are six board members of the new \u201cAssociation of Jewish Psychologists\u201d (AJP): Lenore Walker, Ester Cole, Sarah Friedman, Beth Rom-Rymer, Arlene Steinberg, and Susan Warshaw. Regrettably, despite the authors\u2019 distinguished credentials, it is my belief that their essay suffers significantly from a lack of rigorous scholarship, an overreliance on unreliable and biased sources, and a seemingly inadequate editorial and peer review process. In my view, the article should be retracted, and I will explain why. (As a matter of full disclosure, I note here, at the outset, that my personal perspective on several of the issues examined differs substantially from that of the authors.)<\/p>\n

\n

To be clear, one can fully acknowledge, as I do, the disturbing history of antisemitism in the United States and within the APA \u2014 as well as its worrisome resurgence in certain quarters \u2014 and still find the authors\u2019 approach to these topics misguided and misleading. Their call for the APA to devote greater attention and resources to addressing antisemitism is certainly a worthy goal. But throughout the article, they adopt the view that criticism of Israel (sometimes simplified as \u201canti-Zionism\u201d) \u2014 especially its policies and actions in relation to the Palestinian people \u2014 should be understood as antisemitism. This is a highly contested issue, but readers would never realize that from the authors\u2019 one-sided presentation.<\/p>\n

My analysis focuses, in order, on five important issues: (1) significant flaws in the definition and measurement of antisemitism that the authors rely on, (2) the repeated use of unreliable data and unconfirmed assertions linked to \u201cpro-Israel\u201d advocacy groups, (3) the authors\u2019 unsubstantiated claims associated with their clear hostility toward the Palestinian-led, non-violent Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, (4) a range of other undocumented assertions of fact that cast doubt on the authors\u2019 credibility in this arena, and (5) concerns about the authors\u2019 self-promotion of AJP as a vehicle and partner for the APA\u2019s own antisemitism-related efforts.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Before proceeding with this review, it is worth highlighting a glaring error that appears on the very first page of the article. Citing\u00a0hate crime statistics<\/a>[2]<\/a>\u00a0from the FBI\u2019s 2019 Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the authors assert that Jews in the United States \u201cwere victims in over 50% of reported discriminatory acts.\u201d But this is not at all what the UCR data shows. In fact, only approximately 12% (995 out of 8,559) of the recorded hate crime offenses \u2014 far fewer than 50% \u2014 were designated as reflecting \u201cAnti-Jewish\u201d bias. (Even this 12% figure is, of course, reason for serious concern.) For readers, this dramatic exaggeration, while perhaps inadvertent, serves as a highly distorting frame for everything that follows.<\/p>\n

Defining and Measuring Antisemitism<\/strong><\/p>\n

The authors begin their discussion of antisemitism by noting that\u00a0\u201cDefinitions of antisemitism include prejudice,hostility, and\/or discrimination toward Jews as a multiracial,\u00a0religious, and\/or ethnic group on an individual, community,\u00a0institutional, or societal level\u201d (p. 5). This is unproblematic. But in the very same paragraph, they quickly shift to an endorsement of the controversial\u00a0\u201cworking definition<\/a>\u201d[3]<\/a>\u00a0of antisemitism offered by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Moreover, in a single sentence they dismissively reject serious reservations that have been raised about the IHRA\u2019s approach to defining antisemitism. A peculiar expression of the authors\u2019 own firm embrace of the IHRA document is their statement that it\u00a0\u201chas been adopted by most organizations\u201d (p. 5). This is certainly not true, since relatively few organizations have any involvement in issues related to antisemitism.<\/p>\n

Although the authors do not share this information, the IHRA working definition includes\u00a0eleven<\/em>\u00a0examples of antisemitism and\u00a0seven<\/em>\u00a0of them\u00a0specifically reference Israel. Put simply, this conflates criticism of Israel or Zionism with hostility toward Jews in general.\u00a0A range of scholars (none is cited by the authors) have criticized the IHRA\u2019s approach to defining antisemitism for its misplaced focus on the state of Israel rather than on Jews as Jews (as examples, see\u00a0here<\/a>[4]<\/a>,\u00a0here<\/a>[5]<\/a>,\u00a0here<\/a>[6]<\/a>,\u00a0here<\/a>[7]<\/a>, and\u00a0here<\/a>[8]<\/a>).<\/p>\n

In my view, this conflation and the controversy surrounding the IHRA definition should not go unmentioned in a scholarly article. Nor should the considerable evidence that the antisemitism examples provided by the IHRA are used to discredit or silence Jews and non-Jews alike who speak out against Israel\u2019s discriminatory policies or in defense of Palestinian rights (as examples, see\u00a0here<\/a>[9]<\/a>,\u00a0here<\/a>[10]<\/a>, and\u00a0here<\/a>[11]<\/a>).\u00a0In fact, one of the original drafters of the IHRA definition has\u00a0expressed<\/a>[12]<\/a>\u00a0alarm at how right-wing Jewish groups have sought to \u201cweaponize\u201d the document in their pursuit of legal sanctions against those who engage in political speech critical of Israel.<\/p>\n

The authors choose not to note that there are other important alternative definitions to the IHRA\u2019s. As one example, the\u00a0Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism<\/a>[13]<\/a>\u00a0(JDA) was drafted in 2020 and endorsed by hundreds of scholars of the Holocaust, Jewish studies, and Middle East studies. It offers a definition of antisemitism that does not inordinately target criticism of Israel: \u201cAntisemitism is discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence against Jews as Jews (or Jewish institutions as Jewish).\u201d<\/p>\n

The JDA document emphasizes that\u00a0\u201chostility to Israel could be an expression of an antisemitic animus, or it could be a reaction to a human rights violation, or it could be the emotion that a Palestinian person feels on account of their experience at the hands of the State.\u201d These guidelines recognize that none of the following is inherently antisemitic: supporting Palestinian demands for equal rights; criticizing or opposing Zionism as a form of nationalism; evidence-based criticism of Israel\u2019s institutions, founding principles, policies, or practices; non-violent forms of political protest against Israel; and extreme political speech.<\/p>\n

The authors of this\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>article fail to engage with these issues. Instead, they simply state,\u00a0\u201cThe new antisemitism manifests itself as anti-Zionism\u201d (p. 6). (The fact that the two are not<\/em> equivalent is demonstrated by the many cases of\u00a0antisemitic Zionists<\/a>[14]<\/a>\u00a0and by the long history of\u00a0opposition to Zionism<\/a>[15]<\/a>\u00a0found within Judaism itself.)\u00a0Shortly thereafter, without documentation, the authors make a related and strangely tautological assertion: that\u00a0\u201cleft-wing antisemites, especially in academia\u201d are among the three groups \u201cknown for their overt antisemitism\u201d (p. 6). Contrary to this unsubstantiated claim (and ignoring the vagueness of the phrase \u201cknown for\u201d), there is recent\u00a0research<\/a>[16]<\/a>\u00a0showing that antisemitic attitudes become increasingly more pronounced as one moves from the left to the right in the United States.<\/p>\n

In short, the authors\u2019 apparent view that anti-Zionism\u00a0is<\/em>\u00a0antisemitism provides important context and it seems to influence their entire \u201canalysis.\u201d Perhaps they assume that readers will readily agree with their perspective and therefore not question the research findings they rely on or the interpretations they make. This is a serious problem.\u00a0As one of many such instances, consider this assertion the authors make:\u00a0\u201cBy failing to address antisemitic statements made by groups sponsored or affiliated with the APA, the APA leaders and its members continue to support intended or unintended antisemitism\u201d (p. 2). This is a provocative claim, stated as fact rather than opinion, but readers are never told what these statements are and are never given the opportunity to draw their own conclusions.<\/p>\n

Unreliable Data and Unconfirmed Assertions from Biased Sources\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout their article, the\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>authors frequently use as primary sources the analyses offered by various \u201cpro-Israel\u201d advocacy groups. Readers are never informed about this consistent bias and may therefore mistakenly conclude that the information provided reflects scholarly expertise and objectivity when it does not. Consider several examples.<\/p>\n

The article repeatedly cites Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports on antisemitism. But the many\u00a0concerns<\/a>[17]<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0questions<\/a>[18]<\/a>\u00a0that have been raised about the ADL\u2019s\u00a0history<\/a>[19]<\/a>, its\u00a0priorities<\/a>[20]<\/a>, and its\u00a0approach<\/a>[21]<\/a>\u00a0to measuring antisemitism receive no mention. The organization\u2019s CEO has publicly\u00a0stated<\/a>[22]<\/a>\u2014 without reservation or nuance \u2014 that \u201canti-Zionism is antisemitism.\u201d Going further, he has also\u00a0described<\/a>[23]<\/a>\u00a0progressive Jewish organizations like\u00a0Jewish Voice for Peace<\/a>[24]<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0If Not Now<\/a>[25]<\/a>\u00a0as\u00a0\u201chate groups, the photo inverse of white supremacists\u201d \u2014 due solely to their criticism of Israel. And he has\u00a0called<\/a>[26]<\/a>\u00a0upon university presidents to investigate the group\u00a0Students for Justice in Palestine<\/a>[27]<\/a>\u00a0for \u201cpotential violations of the prohibition against materially supporting a foreign terrorist organization.\u201d In recent months, some of the ADL\u2019s own staff members have expressed significant\u00a0discomfort<\/a>[28]<\/a>\u00a0over the direction the organization has taken in its fight against antisemitism.<\/p>\n

Representative of the ADL\u2019s troubling methodology are findings from researchers who conducted a detailed and comprehensive line-by-line\u00a0reassessment<\/a>[29]<\/a>\u00a0of the organization\u2019s 2023 audit of \u201cantisemitic incidents.\u201d Dramatically different results were obtained when the IHRA definition of antisemitism was replaced by the JDA definition. From the total of 8,873 incidents counted by the ADL, only 56% qualified as \u201cunambiguously antisemitic\u201d under the JDA definition. In particular, 1,472 incidents related to pro-Palestinian advocacy that were deemed antisemitic by the ADL would not have been coded that way if the JDA definition had been used. This study also revealed that for many incidents there was insufficient detail to confidently categorize them at all. Reflecting similar reservations, the widely used online \u201cfree encyclopedia\u201d Wikipedia has recentlyidentified<\/a>[30]<\/a>\u00a0the ADL as \u201cgenerally unreliable\u201d on the topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<\/p>\n

The authors also cite the organization \u201cHonest Reporting\u201d as an antidote to \u201cinaccurate reports in the traditional media\u201d (p. 7). However, they fail to mention that\u00a0this is an Israel-based advocacy group that describes its\u00a0mission<\/a>[31]<\/a>, in part, as an effort to \u201ccombat ideological prejudice in journalism and the media, as it impacts Israel.\u201d Among its activities are public pressure\u00a0campaigns<\/a>[32]<\/a>\u00a0encouraging its readers to inundate news outlets with complaints over coverage critical of Israel. But the organization\u2019s own reporting deserves scrutiny as well.\u00a0Even a cursory review of its \u201cNews Critiques<\/a>\u201d[33]<\/a>\u00a0section demonstrates an obvious and consistent spin: dismissing reports from unfavorable sources and treating\u00a0statements from Israeli government officials as factually true without question.<\/p>\n

\u201cStandWithUs\u201d is yet another well-known Israel advocacy group.\u00a0The authors cite the group appreciatively for filing civil rights complaints with the U.S. Department of Education against faculty members whose criticism of Israel it deems unacceptable. The organization\u2019s\u00a0website<\/a>[34]<\/a>\u00a0highlights,\u00a0\u201cWe are inspired by our love of Israel, our belief that education is the road to peace, and our commitment to stand up for Israel and the Jewish people.\u201d StandWithUs also\u00a0calls<\/a>[35]<\/a>\u00a0itself the \u201cIsrael Emergency Alliance,\u201d receives\u00a0funding<\/a>[36]<\/a>from the Israeli government, and\u00a0reportedly<\/a>[37]<\/a>\u00a0maintains a database of secret dossiers on pro-Palestinian speakers and activists.<\/p>\n

The authors also reference the \u201cAcademic Engagement Network\u201d (AEN), for similar reasons. This organization has as its\u00a0mission<\/a>[38]<\/a>\u00a0\u201cto mobilize networks of university faculty and administrators to counter antisemitism, oppose the denigration of Jewish and Zionist identities, promote academic freedom, and advance education about Israel.\u201d AEN\u2019s conception of academic freedom, however, is apparently not broadly applied: a particular emphasis of the organization is its strident opposition to campus support for the\u00a0Palestinian-led, non-violent Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.<\/p>\n

Finally, the authors cite the \u201cAMCHA Initiative<\/a>.\u201d[39]<\/a>\u00a0Claiming to\u00a0\u201ccombat antisemitism on U.S. college campuses,\u201d the organization\u2019s\u00a0activities<\/a>[40]<\/a>\u00a0include efforts to cancel university courses, blacklist professors, and file legal complaints, arguing that criticism of Israel creates a hostile educational environment. A committee\u00a0of the Middle East Studies Association once\u00a0wrote<\/a>[41]<\/a>\u00a0that the group\u2019s tactics \u201cstifle the free and open discussion of, and the vigorous exchange of opinions on, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on college and university campuses.\u201d<\/p>\n

All of these groups are presented by the authors as though they are reliable sources of accurate information. That view appears to be misinformed at best and disingenuous at worst.<\/p>\n

Criticism of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Without ever describing its\u00a0origins<\/a>[42]<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0mission<\/a>[43]<\/a>, the authors espouse a highly critical view of the BDS movement. Despite the movement\u2019s predominant focus on Israel rather than Jews, the American Psychologist<\/em> authors apparently consider it and its supporters inherently antisemitic. In contrast, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism referenced earlier expresses a contrary view:\u00a0\u201cBoycott, divestment and sanctions are commonplace, non-violent forms of political protest against states. In the Israeli case they are not, in and of themselves, antisemitic.\u201d<\/p>\n

The authors\u2019 BDS criticisms consistently lack the careful documentation one should reasonably expect in a scholarly article.\u00a0For example, they assert, \u201cMany scholars believe some of the rise of antisemitism has developed because of \u2018progressive\u2019 left-leaning Jews\u2019 own criticisms of Israel and the movement on university campuses to punish Israel for its treatment of the Palestinians by withdrawing from Israel\u2019s economic and social support using the boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) movement (Elman, 2020)\u201d (p. 7). But while Elman \u2014 the executive director of the anti-BDS \u201cAcademic Engagement Network\u201d mentioned above \u2014 offers her own critical view of the progressive organization \u201cJewish Voice for Peace,\u201d she does\u00a0not<\/em> support her position with analysis from \u201cmany scholars.\u201d<\/p>\n

The authors offer the same single source when they complain that \u201cthe APA has been silent on the issue of BDS sweeping across high schools and colleges causing psychological harm to students and faculty (Elman, 2020)\u201d (pp. 9-10). But Elman does\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0discuss psychological harm (she is a political scientist, not a psychologist), she does\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0maintain that BDS is \u201csweeping across high schools and colleges,\u201d and she does\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0demonstrate a causal relationship between the two. This, then, seems instead to be an untested linkage posited by the\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>authors \u2014 and it should be presented that way.<\/p>\n

In another instance, the authors emphasize that \u201cSchlosser and Ancis found antisemitism was higher when the BDS movement was encouraged\u201d (p. 7). But the authors provide no citation for what they describe as a \u201cmeta-analysis,\u201d so readers cannot examine the findings. If the measures used in some or all of these studies coded criticism of Israel or Zionism as antisemitism, then one would obviously expect a positive association. After all, the BDS movement is unabashedly critical of Israel\u2019s policies toward Palestinians. As noted above, that does not mean that the movement is antisemitic. Regardless, the authors\u2019 failure to include the relevant citation here is yet another indication of poor scholarship.<\/p>\n

The authors similarly offer neither evidence nor citations when they write, \u201cFrequently, the history of the verycomplex conflict and the national aspirations of the two\u00a0partners to the conflict are lost on many who engage in BDS\u00a0rhetoric especially those who do not live in Israel or Palestine\u201d (p. 7). Arguably, they are free to speculate and share their impressions but, at the very least, these musings should be identified as such. They should not be presented as research-based conclusions.<\/p>\n

Several citations are provided by the authors when they assert, \u201cThe condemnation of Israel and increase in the BDS movement on campuses have partly led to the increase in antisemitism in the United States and around the world against all Jews\u2026(ADL, 2021; Ancis et al., 2022; Feinberg, 2021;\u00a0The Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry,\u00a02021)\u201d (p. 11). Aside from concerns about how antisemitism is measured, the claim of a\u00a0causal relationship\u00a0<\/em>is seemingly without documentation. It is not difficult to imagine that this correlation, if valid, might be explained by a third variable.\u00a0Research<\/a>[44]<\/a>\u00a0has shown, for example, that antisemitic hate crimes in the United States tend to increase following violent Israeli military engagements with Palestinians. It would not be surprising if support for the BDS movement increases as well.<\/p>\n

But the authors\u2019 selection of these citations raises other concerns as well. (I will not reiterate the data analysis problems associated with their citation of the ADL.) First, the Ancis et al (2022) citation refers to a\u00a0pamphlet<\/a>[45]<\/a>\u00a0that appears to be little more than pro-Israel propaganda. It presents an historical account that seemingly holds Israel blameless for any Palestinian suffering. It describes the BDS movement as \u201cthe product of a decades-long global disinformation campaign.\u201d And it\u00a0defines<\/em>\u00a0BDS as a \u201cform of antisemitism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Second, the Feinberg (2021) citation is a\u00a0publication<\/a>[46]<\/a>\u00a0of the aforementioned pro-Israel Academic Engagement Network. Feinberg\u2019s analyses apparently rely on a database of \u201cantisemitic incidents\u201d based on the IHRA definition and collected by the AMCHA Initiative, yet another pro-Israel organization also described earlier. But an examination of the database reveals that it includes a variety of BDS-related events. If those were part of Feinberg\u2019s analysis, that would seemingly represent a potentially important confound in any finding that support for BDS \u201cincreases\u201d antisemitism.<\/p>\n

Finally, the\u00a0report<\/a>[47]<\/a>\u00a0on worldwide antisemitism from the\u00a0Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry (2021) includes no mention whatsoever of the BDS movement. In fact, where the report focuses specifically on antisemitism in the United States as a case study, it highlights something important and entirely different: the antisemitic narratives of\u00a0far-right conspiratorial groups<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In short, the authors are entitled to their own views, including their intense opposition to BDS, a movement focused on\u00a0Israel<\/em>, not\u00a0Jews<\/em>. But it is very concerning \u2014 in fact, I believe unacceptable \u2014 that they make a range of BDS-related claims without providing the research evidence expected in a scholarly article, while also seeming to misrepresent sources that they do rely on.<\/p>\n

Other Scholarly Shortcomings<\/strong><\/p>\n

The authors\u2019 apparent comfort in presenting their own personal views\u00a0as facts<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 without documentation \u2014 is a serious problem that extends well beyond the BDS issue alone. Throughout their essay, there appears to be an implicit bias: the assumption that criticisms of Israel should be understood as intrinsically antisemitic. Consider several additional examples.<\/p>\n

The authors write that \u201cIll-informed accounts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts have also served to increase antisemitic incidents worldwide\u201d (p. 7). This causal claim may or may not be true. But since no evidence is provided, how are we to know? Regardless, although the authors do not mention it, presumably there are \u201cill-informed accounts\u201d emerging from\u00a0both sides<\/em>.<\/p>\n

They also assert that \u201cMany [news media] publish events out of context that give negative impressions of Jews\u201d (p. 7). Given the purported prevalence of these distortions, readers deserve evidence \u2014 but yet again none is provided. How is a broad,\u00a0undocumented<\/em>\u00a0indictment of this sort appropriate in the\u00a0American Psychologist?<\/em><\/p>\n

Without citation, the article claims that \u201cThe trauma effects from antisemitism need to be studied and addressed especially given its prevalence in high schools and colleges\u201d (p. 12). Such effects should indeed be studied and addressed, but the authors share neither what they mean by \u201ctrauma effects\u201d nor the evidence that they are widespread.<\/p>\n

On a related topic, the authors write that \u201cSome [Jews] have supported sanctions against the state of Israel causing great harm to other Jews, especially students\u201d (p. 4). Here too, both the causal relationship and the \u201cgreat harm\u201d are merely posited, without any clarification or documentation \u2014 and with no consideration of why some Jews support sanctions as a morally correct choice.<\/p>\n

Finally, the authors assert that \u201cProgressives in the U.S. Democratic political party\u2026have engaged in\u2026antisemitic remarks. Some are couched in anti-Zionism\u201d (p. 6). This type of broad generalization is unwarranted without extensive documentation, but none is provided. And it is yet another instance where the authors blur the important distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism.<\/p>\n

Promotion of the \u201cAssociation of Jewish Psychologists\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>is disseminated monthly to tens of thousands of APA members as a benefit of membership. The authors use this opportunity to explicitly promote the \u201cAssociation of Jewish Psychologists\u201d (AJP), where they all serve on the board of directors. Elsewhere, I have\u00a0expressed<\/a>[48]<\/a>\u00a0in some detail my misgivings about AJP (misgivings that AJP\u2019s leadership has seemingly characterized as \u201cmisinformation\u201d). Here I will briefly highlight only two, neither of which is apparent in the information the authors provide to readers of their article.<\/p>\n

First, AJP\u2019s\u00a0mission statement<\/a>[49]<\/a>\u00a0asserts that Jews have \u201ca shared identity as a people, rooted in a common identification with its Jewish homeland, now found in modern day Israel.\u201d To the extent this message conveys an expectation that AJP members should possess a strong and positive sense of rootedness in relation to the State of Israel, the statement is exclusionary, perhaps more so than the organization\u2019s leaders realize.\u00a0Acknowledgment of AJP\u2019s Zionist ideology does not appear in the\u00a0American Psychologist<\/em>\u00a0essay. Certainly, this perspective can color the authors\u2019 views on antisemitism, their interpretations of events, and the organization\u2019s work. Indeed, despite its seemingly inclusive name, AJP does\u00a0not\u00a0<\/em>represent the values and concerns of a sizeable fraction of the Jewish community \u2014 and the authors express some very negative views about these dissenting Jews (I am one of them).<\/p>\n

Second, after\u00a0Hamas\u2019s horrific and deadly attacks in Israel last October 7th and the commencement of Israel\u2019s massive retaliatory assault on Gaza, the APA issued a\u00a0press release<\/a>.[50]<\/a>\u00a0That statement noted, in part, \u201cThere can be no justification for cutting off access to basic necessities, such as electricity, food and medicine.\u201d The\u00a0official response<\/a>[51]<\/a>\u00a0from AJP\u2019s board of directors described the APA\u2019s condemnation of these acts of collective punishment as \u201cterribly na\u00efve.\u201d\u00a0It is hard to imagine that any professional group\u2014let alone an organization of health professionals\u2014could actually condone the utter\u00a0devastation\u00a0of a people. Perhaps AJP\u2019s response can be excused as an impulsive and emotional overreaction to the carnage of October 7th. But no public apology or retraction has been offered in the many months since.<\/p>\n

This background about AJP is relevant both for making judgments about the authors\u2019 claims in their\u00a0article and for evaluating the agenda they recommend that the APA now undertake in support of their priorities. For example, they hope that AJP \u201cwill be granted a seat\u2026on the APA Council ofRepresentatives so a Jewish voice is represented when policy\u00a0decisions are being made\u201d (p. 10). (Last February, AJP\u2019s initial efforts in this direction were\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0supported by ethnic minority psychological associations affiliated with the APA.) The authors also hope that the APA will work with AJP \u201cto\u00a0develop programs around antisemitism, hate, prejudice and\u00a0its development, impact, and disassembly\u201d (p. 12) and \u201cto\u00a0recognize the complex nature of Jewish identity, the\u00a0unfortunate history of antisemitism including silence in not\u00a0addressing known acts, and its psychological and social\u00a0harm\u201d (p. 12).<\/p>\n

In my view, however, the\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>article demonstrates exactly why it is doubtful that AJP, as currently constituted, can credibly, objectively, and scientifically undertake the kind of antisemitism work the authors recommend. In this regard, one particularly telling example is their\u00a0seemingly defamatory attack on an APA member with critical views of Israel. In their essay, they accuse this faculty member of \u201chate-filled posts on social media and\u2026antisemitic behavior toward Jewish students\u2026as well as\u2026retaliation against them when they complained (Burston, 2021; Nelson, 2021)\u201d (p. 11).<\/p>\n

However, the authors disturbingly fail to inform the reader that the university conducted a comprehensive\u00a0investigation<\/a>[52]<\/a>\u00a0of these allegations, engaging the services of an independent, third-party law firm. That review \u201cfound no evidence substantiating the allegations of discriminatory and retaliatory\u00a0conduct alleged in the complaint. Many of the statements the complaint alleges\u2026were, according to those who heard them, either inaccurate or taken out of context and misrepresented.\u201d Crucially, these exonerating findings became public\u00a0before\u00a0<\/em>the authors ever submitted their manuscript to the\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>last fall. (In another indication of an apparent lack of scholarly care, the two citations the authors provide are articles published more than a year\u00a0before\u00a0<\/em>the alleged events had even occurred.)<\/p>\n

Personal Reflections and My Call for Retraction<\/strong><\/p>\n

For all of the reasons presented here, I believe the decision to publish this article in the APA\u2019s flagship journal was extremely misguided and I find the seeming lack of adequate peer review hard to understand. (In fact, the final revised version of the manuscript was evidently accepted for publication a mere three days after its submission.) To be clear, I do not question the authors\u2019 credentials or capabilities. But it seems reasonable to ask whether their own strong convictions led to the presentation of personal opinion as substantiated scholarly analysis.<\/p>\n

I acknowledge and appreciate the dangers and fears associated with resurgent antisemitism in the United States and beyond. But in choosing to focus so much on Israel, it appears that the authors have neglected to give adequate attention to what is arguably the most\u00a0dangerous form<\/a>[53]<\/a>\u00a0of virulent antisemitism: the violent ideology of\u00a0right-wing extremists<\/a>[54]<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and others. At the same time, I also recognize that, in some cases, anti-Zionism\u00a0can be<\/em>\u00a0an expression of antisemitism. But I believe any agenda that equates the two in a simplistic manner is unfair and, even worse, is harmful to constructive efforts aimed at advancing the values of freedom, equality, and democracy.<\/p>\n

There is also a deeper issue that I cannot ignore. Throughout the article, the authors avoid providing readers with crucial context for understanding much of the criticism of Israel and the ideology of Zionism: namely, the country\u2019s decades-long oppression of the Palestinian people. And while they warn of \u201cthe increased threat of annihilation of the state of Israel\u201d (p. 4), the words \u201cNakba,\u201d \u201coccupation,\u201d and \u201capartheid\u201d never appear. Moreover, although this essay was initially submitted to the\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0<\/em>in August 2023 \u2014\u00a0before<\/em> the heightened violence that erupted last October in Israel and Gaza \u2014 the authors\u2019 final revision was submitted in March 2024, six-months\u00a0after<\/em>\u00a0the Israel Defense Forces\u2019 devastating and continuing assault began.<\/p>\n

That assault \u2014 which has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza (many of them women and children); the displacement of almost the entire population of two-million Gazans; the destruction of entire neighborhoods, including hospitals and schools; and the looming threat of mass starvation \u2014 has been characterized as genocidal by a wide range of leading human rights groups and international law scholars (as examples, see\u00a0 here<\/a>[55]<\/a>,\u00a0 here<\/a>[56]<\/a>,\u00a0 here<\/a>[57]<\/a>,\u00a0 here<\/a>[58]<\/a>, and here<\/a>[59]<\/a>). Yet the authors offer only a solitary passing reference to this reality, referring to \u201cthe Hamas massacre of Jews in\u00a0Southern Israel\u201d and \u201cIsrael\u2019s retaliation\u00a0causing death and destruction of Palestinians in Gaza\u201d (p. 7). And they do so solely to highlight a post-October 7th spike in \u201cantisemitism\u201d as measured by the ADL \u2014 which counted\u00a0pro-Palestinian protests<\/a>,[60]<\/a>\u00a0including those with Jewish organizers, as \u201cantisemitic.\u201d<\/p>\n

In sum, given the many identified shortcomings, it is perplexing to me that the\u00a0American Psychologist<\/em>\u00a0accepted this article in its current form. In my view, its publication in a premier scholarly journal now lends unwarranted credibility to the authors\u2019 questionable analysis of antisemitism \u2014 a critically important issue. Furthermore, I am deeply concerned that the unsubstantiated discrediting of individuals and groups distressed by the real-world consequences of Israel\u2019s assault on Gaza can further endanger lives and set back the pursuit of a just peace.<\/p>\n

I would welcome a clarifying explanation from the journal\u2019s editorial staff regarding their decision to publish this essay. And if I have erred in any part of my review, I would also welcome a response from the authors, one that identifies my specific errors. Otherwise, I firmly believe that a full retraction of the article is the only appropriate course of action.<\/p>\n

NOTES:<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1]<\/a>\u00a0Walker, L. E. A., Cole, E., Friedman, S. L., Rom-Rymer, B., Steinberg, A., & Warshaw, S. (2024). The American Psychological Association and antisemitism: Toward equity, diversity, and inclusion.\u00a0American Psychologist.<\/em>\u00a0Advance online publication.\u00a0https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Famp0001369<\/a><\/p>\n

[2]<\/a>\u00a0Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2019). Uniform Crime Report Hate Crime Statistics, 2019. U.S. Department of Justice.\u00a0https:\/\/ucr.fbi.gov\/hate-crime\/2019\/topic-pages\/victims<\/a><\/p>\n

[3]<\/a>\u00a0International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. (n.d.). Working definition of antisemitism.\u00a0https:\/\/holocaustremembrance.com\/resources\/working-definition-antisemitism<\/a><\/p>\n

[4]<\/a>\u00a0Gould, R. R. (2020). The IHRA De\ufb01nition of Antisemitism: De\ufb01ning\u00a0Antisemitism by Erasing Palestinians.\u00a0The Political Quarterly<\/em>, Vol. 91, No. 4, October\u2013December.\u00a0https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/epdf\/10.1111\/1467-923X.12883<\/a><\/p>\n

[5]<\/a>\u00a0Gordon, N. (2024).\u00a0Antisemitism and Zionism: The Internal Operations of the IHRA Definition.\u00a0Middle East Critique.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/epdf\/10.1080\/19436149.2024.2330821<\/a><\/p>\n

[6]<\/a>\u00a0European Legal Support Center and Britsh Society for Middle Eastern Studies. (September 2023).\u00a0The Adverse Impact of the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/www.brismes.ac.uk\/files\/documents\/Freedom%20of%20Speech%20and%20Academic%20Freedom%20in%20UK%20Higher%20Education-BRISMES-ELSC.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[7]<\/a>\u00a0Deckers, J., & Coulter, J. (2022).\u00a0What Is Wrong with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance\u2019s Definition of Antisemitism?\u00a0Res Publica<\/em>\u00a028:733\u2013752.\u00a0https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9092927\/pdf\/11158_2022_Article_9553.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[8]<\/a>\u00a0Lerman, A. (2022).\u00a0Whatever Happened to Antisemitism?: Redefinition and the Myth of the \u2018Collective Jew.\u2019\u00a0<\/em>(London: Pluto Press).\u00a0https:\/\/www.plutobooks.com\/9780745338774\/whatever-happened-to-antisemitism\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[9]<\/a>\u00a0Friedman, L. (2023). Targeting Free Speech & Redefining Antisemitism: How Pro-Israel Actors Are Using US Laws to Attack Palestinian Activism & Solidarity, 54 U. PAC. L. REV.<\/em> 612.\u00a0https:\/\/scholarlycommons.pacific.edu\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=1473&context=uoplawreview<\/a><\/p>\n

[10]<\/a>\u00a0Fischer, K. \u201cIn an \u2018Extraordinarily Unusual\u2019 Letter, Israel\u2019s President Urges College Leaders to Fight Antisemitism.\u201d Chronicle of Higher Education<\/em> (November 10, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/www.chronicle.com\/article\/in-an-extraordinarily-unusual-letter-israels-president-urges-college-leaders-to-fight-antisemitism<\/a><\/p>\n

[11]<\/a>\u00a0Coward, T. \u201cMembers of Congress, foreign diplomat, and advocacy orgs pressure UNC to cancel course on Israeli-Palestinian conflict.\u201d Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. (October 19, 2021).\u00a0https:\/\/www.thefire.org\/news\/members-congress-foreign-diplomat-and-advocacy-orgs-pressure-unc-cancel-course-israeli<\/a><\/p>\n

[12]<\/a>\u00a0Stern, K. \u201cI drafted the definition of antisemitism. Rightwing Jews are weaponizing it.\u201d\u00a0The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>(December 13, 2019).\u00a0https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2019\/dec\/13\/antisemitism-executive-order-trump-chilling-effect<\/a><\/p>\n

[13]<\/a>\u00a0The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism<\/em>. (March 25, 2021).\u00a0https:\/\/jerusalemdeclaration.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[14]<\/a>\u00a0Beinart, P. \u201cAntisemitic Zionists Aren\u2019t a Contradiction in Terms.\u201d\u00a0Jewish Currents<\/em>. (January 1, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/jewishcurrents.org\/antisemitic-zionists-arent-a-contradiction-in-terms<\/a><\/p>\n

[15]<\/a>\u00a0Denvir, D. \u201cZionism\u2019s History Is Also a History of Jewish Anti-Zionism: An Interview with Shaul Magid.\u201d\u00a0Jacobin.\u00a0<\/em>(January 28, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/jacobin.com\/2024\/01\/shaul-magid-interview-zionism-anti-zionism-judaism-history<\/a><\/p>\n

[16]<\/a>\u00a0Hersh, E., & Royden, L. (2023). Antisemitic Attitudes Across the Ideological Spectrum.\u00a0Political Research Quarterly<\/em>, Vol. 76(2), 697-711.\u00a0https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10659129221111081<\/a><\/p>\n

[17]<\/a>\u00a0Kane, A., & Hutt, J. \u201cHow the ADL\u2019s Israel Advocacy Undermines Its Civil Rights Work.\u201d\u00a0Jewish Currents.\u00a0<\/em>(Spring 2021).\u00a0https:\/\/jewishcurrents.org\/how-the-adls-israel-advocacy-undermines-its-civil-rights-work<\/a><\/p>\n

[18]<\/a>\u00a0Lee, M. \u201cAnti-Defamation League Maps Jewish Peace Rallies with Antisemitic Attacks.\u201d\u00a0The Intercept.\u00a0<\/em>(November 11, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2023\/11\/11\/palestine-israel-protests-ceasefire-antisemitic\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[19]<\/a>\u00a0Gelman, E. \u201cThe Anti-Defamation League Is Not What It Seems.\u201d\u00a0Boston Review.\u00a0<\/em>(May 23, 2019). https:\/\/www.bostonreview.net\/articles\/emmaia-gelman-anti-defamation-league\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[20]<\/a>\u00a0Tamkin, E. \u201cThe Anti-Defamation League Has Abandoned Some of the People It Exists to Protect.\u201d\u00a0Slate.\u00a0<\/em>(April 29, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/slate.com\/news-and-politics\/2024\/04\/antisemitism-adl-defamation-league-greenblatt-jews-israel-encampments-ceasefire.html<\/a><\/p>\n

[21]<\/a>\u00a0Cohen, M. \u201cThe ADL\u2019s Antisemitism Findings, Explained.\u201d\u00a0Jewish Currents.\u00a0<\/em>(April 4, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/jewishcurrents.org\/the-adls-antisemitism-findings-explained<\/a><\/p>\n

[22]<\/a>\u00a0Anti-Defamation League. \u201cRemarks by Jonathan Greenblatt to the ADL Virtual National Leadership Summit.\u201d (May 1, 2022).\u00a0https:\/\/www.adl.org\/remarks-jonathan-greenblatt-adl-virtual-national-leadership-summit<\/a><\/p>\n

[23]<\/a>\u00a0Greenblatt, J. Post on X\/Twitter. (October 18, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/x.com\/JGreenblattADL\/status\/1714791774869487973<\/a><\/p>\n

[24]<\/a>\u00a0Jewish Voice for Peace. (n.d.).\u00a0https:\/\/www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[25]<\/a>\u00a0If Not Now. (n.d.).\u00a0https:\/\/www.ifnotnowmovement.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[26]<\/a>\u00a0Anti-Defamation League. \u201cLetter from Anti-defamation league and the Brandeis Center to college and university presidents.\u201d (October 25, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/www.adl.org\/resources\/letter\/adl-and-brandeis-center-letter-presidents-colleges-and-universities<\/a><\/p>\n

[27]<\/a>\u00a0National Students for Justice in Palestine. (n.d.).\u00a0https:\/\/nationalsjp.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[28]<\/a>\u00a0Guyer, J., & Perkins, T. \u201cAnti-Defamation League staff decry \u2018dishonest\u2019 campaign against Israel critics.\u201d\u00a0The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>(January 1, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/news\/2024\/jan\/05\/adl-pro-israel-advocacy-zionism-antisemitism<\/a><\/p>\n

[29]<\/a>\u00a0Burley, S., & ben Avraham, J. \u201cExamining the ADL\u2019s Antisemitism Audit.\u201d\u00a0Jewish Currents<\/em>. (June 17, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/jewishcurrents.org\/examining-the-adls-antisemitism-audit<\/a><\/p>\n

[30]<\/a>\u00a0Eshman, R. \u201cWikipedia called the ADL \u2018unreliable.\u2019 It\u2019s a wake-up call the civil rights organization badly needs.\u201d\u00a0Forward.\u00a0<\/em>(June 19, 2024).\u00a0<\/strong>https:\/\/forward.com\/opinion\/625117\/wikipedia-adl-unreliable-jonathan-greenblatt\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[31]<\/a>\u00a0Honest Reporting. (n.d.). \u201cAbout Us.\u201d\u00a0https:\/\/honestreporting.com\/about\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[32]<\/a>\u00a0Krausz, T. \u201cWatchdogs on the media battlefield.\u201d\u00a0Jerusalem Post.\u00a0<\/em>(February 6, 2013).\u00a0https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/arts-and-culture\/arts\/watchdogs-on-the-media-battlefield<\/a><\/p>\n

[33]<\/a>\u00a0Honest Reporting. (n.d.). \u201cNews Critiques https:\/\/honestreporting.com\/media-critiques\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[34]<\/a>\u00a0StandWithUs. (n.d.). \u201cAbout.\u201d\u00a0https:\/\/www.standwithus.com\/about<\/a><\/p>\n

[35]<\/a>\u00a0StandWithUs. (n.d.). \u201cDonate.\u201d\u00a0https:\/\/www.standwithus.com\/donate<\/a><\/p>\n

[36]<\/a>\u00a0\u201cPrime Minister\u2019s Office Hires Israel Advocacy Group StandWithUs for 1 Million Shekels.\u201d\u00a0Haaretz<\/em>. (January 13, 2015).\u00a0https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/israel-news\/2015-01-13\/ty-article\/prime-ministers-office-hires-israel-advocacy-group-standwithus-for-1-million-shekels\/0000017f-dbef-db5a-a57f-dbef24d10000<\/a><\/p>\n

[37]<\/a>\u00a0Kane, A. \u201cIsrael lobby group compiles secret dossiers on pro-Palestinian speakers.\u201d\u00a0Mondoweiss.\u00a0<\/em>(February 25, 2014).\u00a0https:\/\/mondoweiss.net\/2014\/02\/compiles-palestinian-speakers\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[38]<\/a>\u00a0Academic Engagement Network. (n.d.).\u00a0https:\/\/academicengagement.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[39]<\/a>\u00a0AMCHA Initiative. (n.d.).\u00a0https:\/\/amchainitiative.org<\/a><\/p>\n

[40]<\/a>\u00a0Palestine Legal and the Center for Constitutional Rights.\u00a0The Palestine Exception to Free Speech.\u00a0<\/em>(September 2015).\u00a0https:\/\/ccrjustice.org\/sites\/default\/files\/attach\/2015\/09\/Palestine%20Exception%20Report%20Final.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[41]<\/a>\u00a0Middle East Studies Association Committee on Academic Freedom. \u201cAmcha Initiative Report Accusing UCLA\u2019s Center of Sponsoring Public Events Characterized by Antisemitism and \u2018anti-Israel bias.\u2019\u201d (October 24, 2014).\u00a0https:\/\/mesana.org\/advocacy\/committee-on-academic-freedom\/2014\/10\/23\/amcha-initiative-report-accusing-uclas-center-of-sponsoring-public-events-characterized-by-antisemitism-and-anti-israel-bias<\/a><\/p>\n

[42]<\/a>\u00a0Boycott, Divest, Sanctions Movement. (n.d.).\u00a0https:\/\/bdsmovement.net\/what-is-bds<\/a><\/p>\n

[43]<\/a>\u00a0Boycott, Divest, Sanctions Movement. \u201cPalestinian Civil Society Call for BDS.\u201d (July 5, 2005).\u00a0https:\/\/bdsmovement.net\/call<\/a><\/p>\n

[44]<\/a>\u00a0Feinberg, A. K. (2020). Homeland Violence and Diaspora Insecurity: An Analysis of Israel and American Jewry.\u00a0Politics and Religion<\/em>,\u00a013<\/em>(1), 1\u201327.\u00a0https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/journals\/politics-and-religion\/article\/abs\/homeland-violence-and-diaspora-insecurity-an-analysis-of-israel-and-american-jewry\/2F7D87C36A37A0D0EB9600C7D58B2510<\/a><\/p>\n

[45]<\/a>\u00a0Ancis, J. R., Stein, S., & Balva, D. \u201cBDS: A Guide for Psychologists and Allied Mental Health Professionals.\u201d Psychologists Against Antisemitism. (May 25, 2022).\u00a0https:\/\/www.psychaas.com\/_files\/ugd\/32fee7_192b8a95590948f49a46bee7a05e778c.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[46]<\/a>\u00a0Feinberg, A. K. (n.d.). \u201cFrom Scholarship to Swastikas: Explaining Campus Antisemitic Events.\u201d Academic Engagement Network.\u00a0https:\/\/academicengagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/From-Scholarship-to-Swastikas-Explaining-Campus-Antisemitic-Events_AEN_Ayal-Feinberg_2021.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[47]<\/a>\u00a0Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry. (2021).\u00a0Antisemitism Worldwide Report 2021. <\/em>https:\/\/cst.tau.ac.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Antisemitism-Worldwide-2021.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[48]<\/a>\u00a0Eidelson, R. \u201cMy Concerns about the \u2018Association of Jewish Psychologists.\u2019\u201d (April 25, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/royeidelson.com\/my-concerns-about-the-association-of-jewish-psychologists\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[49]<\/a>\u00a0Association of Jewish Psychologists. (n.d.). \u201cMission Statement.\u201d\u00a0https:\/\/associationofjewishpsychologists.com\/#mission-statement<\/a><\/p>\n

[50]<\/a>\u00a0American Psychological Association. \u201cAPA warns of psychological impacts of violence in Middle East.\u201d (October 11, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/www.apa.org\/news\/press\/releases\/2023\/10\/middle-east-violence-statement<\/a><\/p>\n

[51]<\/a>\u00a0Association of Jewish Psychologists. \u201cAJP Rebuttal to APA Statement.\u201d (October 16, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/associationofjewishpsychologists.com\/ajp-rebuttal-to-apa-statement\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[52]<\/a>\u00a0George Washington University, Office of the President. \u201cSummary of Findings of Independent Investigation by Crowell & Moring LLP.\u201d (March 27, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/president.gwu.edu\/summary-findings-independent-investigation-crowell-moring-llp<\/a><\/p>\n

[53]<\/a>\u00a0Fausset, R., & Feuer, A. \u201cFar Right Groups Surge Into National View in Charlottesville.\u201d\u00a0New York Times.\u00a0<\/em>(August 13, 2017).\u00a0https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/08\/13\/us\/far-right-groups-blaze-into-national-view-in-charlottesville.html<\/a><\/p>\n

[54]<\/a>\u00a0Beirich, H. \u201cAntisemitism Rising Among American Right-Wing Extremists.\u201d\u00a0Institute for National Security Studies. (January 21, 2021).\u00a0https:\/\/www.inss.org.il\/publication\/antisemitism-rising-among-american-right-wing-extremists\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[55]<\/a>\u00a0International Court of Justice. \u201cApplication Instituting Proceedings.\u201d (December 28, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/www.icj-cij.org\/sites\/default\/files\/case-related\/192\/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[56]<\/a>\u00a0University Network for Human Rights.\u00a0Genocide in Gaza:\u00a0Analysis of International Law and Its Application to Israel\u2019s Military Actions Since October 7, 2023.\u00a0<\/em>(May 15, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/static1.squarespace.com\/static\/5b3538249d5abb21360e858f\/t\/66475850eceb152a52fd55fe\/1715951696844\/Genocide+in+Gaza+-+Final+version+051524.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

[57]<\/a>\u00a0Neier, A. \u201cIs Israel Committing Genocide?\u201d\u00a0New York Review of Books.\u00a0<\/em>(June 6, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/www.nybooks.com\/articles\/2024\/06\/06\/is-israel-committing-genocide-aryeh-neier\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[58]<\/a>\u00a0Center for Constitutional Rights. \u201cIsrael\u2019s Unfolding Crime of Genocide of the Palestinian People & U.S. Failure to Prevent and Complicity in Genocide.\u201d (October 18, 2023).\u00a0https:\/\/ccrjustice.org\/israel-s-unfolding-crime-genocide-palestinian-people-us-failure-prevent-and-complicity-genocide<\/a><\/p>\n

[59]<\/a>\u00a0Amnesty International. \u201cIsrael\/OPT: New evidence of unlawful Israeli attacks in Gaza causing mass civilian casualties amid real risk of genocide.\u201d (February 12, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/latest\/news\/2024\/02\/israel-opt-new-evidence-of-unlawful-israeli-attacks-in-gaza-causing-mass-civilian-casualties-amid-real-risk-of-genocide\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[60]<\/a>\u00a0Varkiani, A. M. \u201cADL Officially Admits It Counts Pro-Palestine Activism as Antisemitic.\u201d\u00a0The New Republic.\u00a0<\/em>(January 10, 2024).\u00a0https:\/\/newrepublic.com\/post\/177993\/adl-abandons-pretense-tracking-antisemitism-honestly-palestine-rallies<\/a><\/p>\n

_______________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Roy Eidelson is a member of the <\/em>TRANSCEND Network<\/em><\/a> and was a member of the American Psychological Association for over 25 years, prior to his resignation. He is a clinical psychologist and the president of <\/em>Eidelson Consulting<\/em><\/a>, where he studies, writes about, and consults on the role of psychological issues in political, organizational, and group conflict settings. He is a past president of <\/em>Psychologists for Social Responsibility<\/em><\/a>, former executive director of the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict, and a member of the <\/em>Coalition for an Ethical Psychology<\/em><\/a>. Roy is the author of <\/em>Political Mind Games: How the 1% Manipulate Our Understanding of What\u2019s Happening, What\u2019s Right, and What\u2019s Possible<\/a> and can be reached at <\/em>reidelson@eidelsonconsulting.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Go to Original – royeidelson.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

25 Jun 2024 – It is disappointing and distressing to see that the\u00a0American Psychologist\u00a0has published an\u00a0article\u00a0titled \u201cThe American Psychological Association and Antisemitism: Toward Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.\u201d In my view, the article should be retracted, and I will explain why.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":110813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[2755,1668],"class_list":["post-265470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-transcend-members","tag-american-psychological-association-apa","tag-antisemitism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265470"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":265471,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265470\/revisions\/265471"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}