Norman G. Finkelstein (born December 8, 1953) is an ultra-leftist academic whose career has been marked by a vitriolic hatred of Zionism and Israel.[1] He is the author of The Holocaust Industry, a book which attacks some Jewish institutions for allegedly seeking to profit from the Holocaust. While not denying that the Holocaust took place, Finkelstein's views have led some to accuse him of anti-semitism and Holocaust denial, although Finkelstein's parents are Holocaust survivors.
He was an assistant professor of political science at DePaul University until they denied him tenure in 2007, due to "unprofessional personal attacks [which] divert the conversation away from consideration of ideas, and polarize and simplify conversations that deserve layered and subtle consideration." [2]
He was placed on (paid) academic year for the final year of his university contract.
He was a rock star of the "pro-Palestinian" anti-Israel movement, until he came out against BDS in 2012, calling it a cult and accusing BDS activists of “inflating the numbers” of Palestinian refugees and “want[ing] to create terror in the hearts of every Israeli” rather than resolve the conflict.[3]
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- ↑ Former Depaul Professor, Norman Finkelstein to Speak at KinderUSA Fundraiser, ADL, Apr 26, 2012
- ↑ U.S. university denies tenure to professor who questioned Holocaust compensation
- ↑ Jordan Michael Smith, An Unpopular Man, TNR, July 7, 2015.
Norman Finkelstein was a rock star of the pro-Palestinian movement. Then he came out against BDS.
All that changed in February 2012. Finkelstein had become concerned with the international pro-Palestinian community’s embrace of BDS—it has become the preferred solution among activists on campuses and much of the Palestinian diaspora. He feels the position is inconsistent with international law’s recognition of Israel’s existence. In an interview with a French pro-Palestinian activist, Finkelstein declared his opposition to BDS—and did so in the same inflammatory language he had been using for decades to describe Israel and its supporters. “I loathe the disingenuousness—they don’t want Israel [to exist],” he said. “It’s a cult.” He had spent his time in a self-deceptive Maoist cult, he said; he wouldn’t do it again. He accused BDS activists of “inflating the numbers” of Palestinian refugees and “want[ing] to create terror in the hearts of every Israeli” rather than resolve the conflict. “I’m not going to tolerate what I think is silliness, childishness, and a lot of left-wing posturing,” he said.