Dear Oren Ben-Dor

Re: “International Law and the State of Israel: Legitimacy, Responsibility and Exceptionalism, University of Southampton 17-19 July 2015” “This conference aims to expose the relatedness of the suffering and injustice in Palestine to the foundation and protection of a state of such nature and asks what role International Law should play in the situation…thus enabling a much need platform for scholarly debate and disagreement….”

I want to draw your attention to the negative discursive position ensuing from the title and frontline advertising.

1. The embedded discourse pertaining to the words “the relatedness of the suffering and injustice in Palestine to the foundation and protection of a state of such nature” are wholly without any context or reference to anything other than the title, such title questioning the legitimacy of the Jewish State and, as such, discursively positions Israel as the Aggressor and the Palestinians as the Victims at the hands of such Aggressor.

2. Positioned by the words “… and asks what role International Law should play in the situation” compounds and expands exponentially the aforementioned embedded negative symbol of Israel as the Aggressor into that of “illegal Aggressor”. Therefore Conference speakers and attendees have no choice in their minds, except to take the position of “Rescuer” to bring the perceived “illegal Aggressor” to justice.

3. The words “thus enabling a much needed platform for scholarly debate and disagreement” provides further mechanism with which to embed the meaning. As such, this sets up an essentialist position which must therefore argue against Israel’s legitimacy. Put simply, Israel is guilty as charged prior to “debate”.

Finally, if antisemitic material which includes antisemitic rhetoric and/or imagery is discovered to be presented at this conference, the University of Southampton and yourself must take responsibility for inciting racial hatred.

Yours sincerely
Amanda Perl,
MSc., BSc. (Hons), MBPsS