As the Bay Area’s official representative for the Israeli government, Consul General Akiva Tor has engaged in his share of spirited discussions on college campuses.
What he’s not used to, however, is being called a liar.
On Feb. 5, two student groups at San Jose State University — Spartans for Israel and the Global Studies Club — invited Tor to discuss the situation in Gaza, the elections in Israel, and other timely issues regarding the political discourse between the Israeli and Palestinian regions.
What resulted, however, was a scene Tor likened to the recent demonstrations in the streets of San Francisco during the early stages of the Israeli operation in Gaza, when anti-Israel protesters overwhelmed the scene.
“When you’re trying to speak, and large numbers are not allowing you to express yourself, it creates intimidation for Jewish students and anyone interested in open inquiry,” Tor said. “It’s a larger problem that the community as a whole, both Jews and non-Jews, has to think about.”
Roughly 100 students and community members packed the student union to listen to Tor’s talk and participate in a Q&A session. As Tor began to speak, several audience members interrupted him, booing and yelling that he was “full of lies,” according to the Spartan Daily, the campus newspaper.
Tor pleaded with the crowd to make the evening an opportunity for open dialogue and exchange of opinion.
“I wanted to entertain any and all questions on any of the issues,” said Tor, noting the consulate’s openness to dialogue and debate as long as they’re carried out in an atmosphere of basic respect. “The only question I was asked was, ‘Why are you lying?’ ”
The incident was brought to the attention of the local Anti-Defamation League, which is reaching out to campus police in an effort to review policies regarding “crowd control,” according to ADL campus coordinator Mindy Aguirre.
The ADL also is in touch with Hillel of Silicon Valley to discuss how future events that involve or attract Jewish students can maintain the university’s commitment to a respectful dialogue, not detract from it.
“Voices are being silenced on campus,” Aguirre said. “It’s not conducive to an academic environment. Yes, there have been protests outside of speaking events before, but this was a little more extreme because the disruption was the audience.”
The Spartan Daily reported that Tor was unable to finish his discussion that evening because of the audience’s constant outbursts. However, Tor said he spoke for about 75 minutes and didn’t leave the stage until the event was over.
“We are always looking to engage the wider public, both on campus and off,” said Tor, who appeared this week at Santa Clara University’s School of Law. “I’m not going to avoid any events because of this.”