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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

President’s Executive Order extends Civil Rights Act protections to Jewish students as Corbyn and Labour are crushed. BDS advocates criticize student Israel trips as Israel boycotts are linked to fossil fuel.

The fall semester ended with President Trump signing an Executive Order extending protections to Jewish students under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The move came as the Conservative Party crushed Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party and then promised to…

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BDS in academia ramps up as anti-Israel activism permeates new aspects of campus life as administrators cave to demands. Democratic positions shift to reflect BDS pressure

BDS on campus ramped up quickly in October. Several incidents illustrated the BDS tactic of holding events, sometimes in unlikely venues, and then protesting official condemnation, increasingly with allegations of “white supremacy.” This form of entrapment extends long-established BDS strategies,…

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BDS, Antisemitism, and Class

BDS demonstration, photo by Kate Ausburn via Flickr CC EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Contemporary antisemitism has the ability to graft itself onto a variety of causes and movements. But the social and information environment in the US and Europe is strongly conditioned…

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BDS, Antisemitism, and Class

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Contemporary antisemitism has the ability to graft itself onto a variety of causes and movements. But the social and information environment in the US and Europe is strongly conditioned by virtue-signaling among elites and increasingly among portions of…

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BDS controversy snares universities over Federal funding as UN issues unprecedented report linking BDS with antisemitism. Women’s March leaders replaced as British Labour Party and Trade Union Council endorse Israel boycotts.

In September the focus of BDS remained fixed on the connection between academia and the political sphere. Prompted by a complaint over a BDS event, the Department of Education warned Duke University and the University of North Carolina over misuse…

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