September 2023
BRICUP members resign in suport of Prof. David Miller
24/09/23 21:03
Three members of BRICUP resign their membership in reaction to the letter issued by BRICUP, accusing Miller of posting an antisemitic text on Tweeter. The three have issued the following statement:
NOTE FOR DAVID MILLER TRIBUNAL
We, as academics and until recently members of the British Campaign for the Universities of Palestine, (BRCUP), are writing in support of Professor David Miller. He is now facing an Employment Tribunal looking at his complaint against unfair dismissal by the University of Bristol.
Professor Miller's dismissal had followed on two legal inquiries by a QC appointed by the University of Bristol, where he was a professor of Political Sociology, looking into accusation of antisemitism against him, over the period since September 2019; Both inquiries cleared Prof. Miller, finding that he could not be accused of antisemitism. The university, under pressure by pro-Zionist lobby organisations, has ignored the finding of its own legal experts and sacked Prof. Miller, despite having no proof for its serious accusations.
Prof Miller is now under attack again for his tweet of August 7, 2023, on the allegation that it was antisemitic. We do not agree the tweet was antisemitic or counter-factual but see it as a part of an ongoing campaign of persecution of Professor Miller for his critical stance on the state of Israel. When our own organisation, Bricup, joined the ranks of his antisemitism accusers, the three of us resigned in protest.
We find David Miller's persecution reprehensible and astonishing at a moment when more than half of the Israeli population is questioning the policies and actions of the Israeli government; when senior Israeli politicians, ex-generals and former Mossad and Shabak chiefs are combining to condemn Israeli Apartheid - despite the fact they were part of the state which set it up; and when international commentators and pundits condemn the process of Normalisation of Israel's extremist government.
David Miller is not guilty of any crime and did not deserve to be dismissed from his post by the university. That some university students felt uncomfortable or upset by Professor Miller is not sufficient grounds for depriving him of his livelihood and reputation.
We urge the Tribunal to overthrow his dismissal.
Signed
Dr Ghada Karmi,
Prof. Haim Bresheeth-Žabner
Dr Govindarajan Driver