Reaffirming support for David Miller

Israel lobby groups have been mounting a renewed campaign against Professor David Miller.  David is an academic specialist in Islamophobia, and analysis of corporate and state lobbying.  He has been conducting research into the relationship between Zionism and Islamophobia, exposing Israel lobby tactics and its links with the State of Israel.  He was sacked from Bristol University in 2021 after a campaign by those same Israel lobby groups, who made malicious allegations of antisemitism against him.  Two independent KC-led investigations into David’s dismissal found that there was no evidence of antisemitism; the allegations were baseless.

Israel lobby groups are renewing their campaign to strip him of support as he prepares for an employment tribunal hearing in October.  These groups are using the press and directing letters to those who have publicly condemned his dismissal by Bristol University.  In particular, the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has attacked University and College Union Scotland for supporting David.

The CAA, closely linked with Israeli government activities to silence Palestinian voices and to smear academics and the solidarity movement, is a prominent part of the Israel lobby.  It is once again working to further smear David Miller.  The Electronic Intifada has revealed that the CAA has been given almost half a million dollars by the Jewish National Fund UK.  The JNF is Israel’s quasi-governmental settler-colonial agency, established in 1901 and remains the most ardent supporter and implementer of Israeli apartheid, occupation and settler colonialism.

In addition, the pro-Israel newspaper Jewish Chronicle has contacted academics who signed a letter in support of David, asking them to end their support following more recent comments he has made on Twitter.  Over 300 academics signed the letter but the newspaper could find only a small handful to express second thoughts.  Dr Eurig Scandrett, an academic and chair of SPSC, has received such a letter from the Jewish Chronicle. He commented:

This is typical of the tactics of Israel lobby organisations against supporters of Palestinian rights.  David Miller was sacked for supporting Palestinians by exposing the Israel lobby in Britain and its links with the State of Israel.  He is more than capable of defending any statements he has made on Twitter.  The Israel lobby’s constant attack on Palestinian solidarity activists does nothing to challenge antisemitism.  It is being used as a smokescreen to cover up the Zionist colonisation of Palestine, particularly at a time when Zionist settlers are carrying out pogroms against Palestinian villages.

David Miller’s sacking by Bristol University remains an injustice to him, to anyone who values vigorous academic research and analysis that uncovers state and corporate power, and to all those who stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.  We welcome David’s efforts to discuss and encourage conversations about the nature of the state of Israel, of its founding Zionist ideology and the weaponisation of antisemitism to shut down these discussions.

SPSC reaffirms our support for David Miller and urge UCU Scotland, academics and all other individuals and groups to resist pressure to exclude David as an academic and a legitimate voice of dissent.  It is the state of Israel that should be isolated and boycotted until Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people and system of apartheid, a crime against humanity, end. 

Scottish PSC
September 2023

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