An academic who called Jews “ghetto-dwellers in Europe who came to take our land” and compared Israel to Nazi Germany is due to deliver a lecture at Edinburgh University to mark the centenary of the British Mandate in Palestine next month.

Dr Salman Abu Sitta, a London-based Palestinian researcher who has claimed that Israel set up concentration camps for Palestinians, will “reflect upon a lifetime of research arising from Balfour’s legacy and what it has meant for Palestine and Palestinians, past and present,” the university said. His comments were labelled “racist” by the Community Security Trust (CST), while academic David Hirsh described him as “antisemitic”.
The Edinburgh event is organised by the CBRL Kenyon Institute, funded primarily by the British Government via the British Academy.

During an online event with Middle East Monitor in 2020, Dr Sitta claimed that the founding of Israel was “exactly like Nazi Germany occupying France”.

He added that Israeli settlement builders only decide to leave an edifice standing “if they find one stone … that is of benefit to the history of the Jews.” He went on to label Israeli archaeological findings in the West Bank as “false”.

During an appearance on Egyptian TV, Dr Sitta claimed that Israel “set up detention camps and forced labour camps for the Palestinians”.

He went on: “Only three years after [Auschwitz] was shut down in Europe, this was done again. And by people some of whom had been held in those camps.”

He added: “They had the necessary experience, because the Nazi camps were shut down only three years earlier.” Speaking at PalestineExpo in July 2020, Dr Sitta said: “We have no intention of forfeiting Palestine for the ghetto-dwellers in Europe who came to take our land.” He went on to claim that the Gaza Strip was a “concentration camp”.

Dr Sitta also defended former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, calling him “a great, honourable man”, adding: “The enemy use their influence, money, political influence and defamation in order to unseat him.”

Dr Sitta told the Middle East Monitor event: “Since the Jewish National Fund was created in 1901, Jewish money and the fortunes of Rothschild family were used to colonise Palestine.”

He continued: “Jewish financial power in the United States today supporting Aipac activity is a potent colonial force against Palestinians.”

Dave Rich, Head of Policy at the CST, said: “Even by the standards of what passes for acceptable discourse in anti-Israel circles, Abu Sitta’s views are appalling.
“I wonder if Edinburgh Uni will ask him to tone down the racist insults about Jews for his lecture.”

Mike Katz, National Chair of Jewish Labour, compared Edinburgh University to Bristol University, which defended Professor David Miller amid accusations of antisemitism. Mr Katz tweeted: “Amazing look from @EdinburghUni here. Clearly wants to take the crown from @BristolUni.”

Dr David Hirsh, academic and founder of the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, said: “A UK university hosting an antisemitic speaker. The hostile environment is one in which antisemitism is embraced by a minority but in which that minority is protected by the majority, and by those in power in the universities, as ‘academic freedom’ and ‘criticism of Israel’.”

A British Academy spokesperson said: “The British Academy funds a wide range of individuals and organisations each year to undertake academic research and research related activity across the humanities and social sciences.

“As a funder, we provide award holders with a set of terms and conditions for funding grants but we are not involved in day-to-day delivery or decision-making.”

The CBRL Kenyon Institute said it was “committed to freedom of expression and academic freedom. We encourage respectful debate and discussion whenever there are differences of view or opinion… We reject racism and antisemitism and take them very seriously”.

An Edinburgh University spokesperson said: “The University is committed to freedom of expression and academic freedom.

"Staff and students should feel able to discuss controversial topics, and that different viewpoints are respected. Given the size of our community, it is inevitable that there will be differing views amongst its members.

"We encourage respectful debate and discussion whenever there are differences of view or opinion.”

Dr Sitta was approached for comment.