San Francisco, CA, March 25, 2011 … ADL commended the UC Hastings College of Law Board of Directors for adopting a resolution that "the College should take all steps necessary to remove the Hastings name and brand from the 'Litigating Palestine' conference," but expressed "deep disappointment" that the Board's decision had not been implemented.

The conference, composed of a veritable who's who of the anti-Israel movement, was designed to delegitimize and unjustly cast Israel as a pariah state under the guise of academic freedom.

Dan Sandman, ADL San Francisco Regional Director issued the following statement:  

While we were encouraged by the Hastings Board resolution, we are now deeply disappointed that UC Hastings' actions have not matched their words.   The conference remains prominently displayed on the front of the College's website and it appears that it is preparing to provide online streaming of the conference. To add insult to injury, it also appears that Hastings is offering continuing legal education credit for a program which utterly lacks academic integrity.

 

This conference is especially troubling coming at a time when there is a coordinated global campaign to isolate Israel politically, economically and culturally through boycotts and the perversion of international legal principles. We expect that no institution seriously committed to pursuing the highest ideals of justice would associate itself with a conference of this nature and provide cover for the promotion of a base political meeting disguised as legitimate academic discourse.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.