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Alex Joffe

Alex Joffe

Editor SPME / BDS Monitor

Alexander H. Joffe is an archaeologist and historian specializing in the Middle East and contemporary international affairs. He received a B.A. in History from Cornell University in 1981 and Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Arizona in 1991. From 1980 to 2003 he participated in and directed archaeological research in Israel, Jordan, Greece and the United States. Joffe taught at the Pennsylvania State University and Purchase College, and has been Director of Research for Global Policy Exchange, Ltd., and The David Project, Center for Jewish Leadership.

Joffe's work is uniquely broad. Since 1991 he has published dozens of studies on the archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean and is a leading figure in contentious debates over the relationship between archaeology and politics in the Middle East. He has also authored numerous works on contemporary issues, including Middle Eastern environmental security threats from pollution and weapons of mass destruction. His work on the problem of dismantling intelligence agencies is widely cited by experts and democratic reformers alike.

In the past decade Joffe has written and spoken on topics as varied as the future of American Jews, the Palestinian refugee problem, and nationalism. During that time as well he has been deeply involved with combating the problems of campus antisemitism, the ‘boycott, divestment and sanctions' movement against Israel, and in educating Jews and others about threats to Israel and the West. His current projects include a biography of a British World War II general and several novels. He and his family reside near New York City.

All stories by: Alex Joffe

Trump Administration Executive Orders change landscape for BDS and anti-Israel politics as BDS led attacks on Israel continue. Jews are blamed for LA fires as Israelis are investigated for ‘war crimes’ while visiting foreign countries.

Introduction The advent of the Trump Administration promises to shift the landscape for BDS and anti-Israel politics. A new Executive Order orders action to combat antisemitism including deporting student Hamas supporters, while dismantling the Federal DEI enterprise removes a key…

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Hate Exploded Across College Campuses Surrounding the October 7 Anniversary

October’s anti-Israel protests were focused on the tragic anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 massacres, and the Israeli response that began the now year-long war. Campus protests included student walkouts, building takeovers, and vandalism at numerous universities including Columbia University, Pomona College, Tufts University, the University…

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Headhunters

I have a theory that Neolithic farmers occasionally took part in headhunting: the ritual practice of severing and preserving human heads. At various sites in Syria and the Levant, like Jericho, archaeologists found plastered and otherwise decorated skulls. Whereas most…

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