To the Editor:

Re “Amid Criticism, College Says Event on Israel Can Proceed” (news article, Feb. 5):

The president of Brooklyn College, Karen L. Gould, is correct in allowing speakers who are critical of Israeli policies regarding Palestinians in the West Bank and who favor Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions to be allowed to speak on campus when invited by students and/or faculty. Not allowing these speakers to present their views on campus would violate freedom of expression and academic freedom.

Likewise, B.D.S. advocates should realize that their attempts to boycott and disallow speakers and others who support Israeli policies regarding Palestinians and who are in opposition to B.D.S. also violate principles of freedom of expression and academic freedom.

NORTON MEZVINSKY
New York, Feb. 5, 2013

The writer is a professor at Central Connecticut State University and president of the International Council for Middle East Studies.