Veteran journalist and Israel Prize Winner Yaakov Ahimeir blasted a Hebrew University professor who refused to speak with Arutz Sheva, saying that he would not “be interviewed by settlers.”
On Sunday, Dr. Yuri Pines, the Vice-Dean of Humanities at the Hebrew University and an expert on China, refused to speak with Arutz Sheva correspondent Eliran Aharon, who had contacted Dr. Pines to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s talk with Taiwanese President Tzai Ing-wen after receiving a list of available experts from Hebrew University..
In turning down the interview, Dr. Pines cited his personal dislike of Jews who live in Judea and Samaria.
“I do not give interviews to settlers. I can’t stand settlers and I hope they move back to Israel, in which case I would happily be interviewed by them.”
Writing on Facebook on Monday, Ahimeir called the incident “a stain” on the university’s reputation.
“I contacted Dr. Pines, and he confirmed the facts,” wrote Ahimeir. “He refused to talk in depth, claiming that he was in a meeting. Dr. Pines is the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Humanities in the Hebrew University. He has the right, of course, to his views, and no one is arguing about that.”
“But his response and his refusal to be interviewed because the interviewer is ‘a settler’ unfortunately stains not only Dr. Pines… but also the name of the Hebrew University,” continued Ahimeir. “The incident is an embarrassment for the Hebrew University.”