Blaming a Failed Search for a Faculty Appointment on a Zionist Conspiracy

After interviewing four candidates for the newly founded Edward Said chair in Middle Eastern Studies, California State University at Fresno abruptly deferred the search for a year due to “critical procedural errors.” Vida Samiian, the professor directing the search, responded by resigning from the university, alleging that the administration had given in to “vicious and discriminatory attacks launched by Israel-advocacy groups,” who objected to the fact that the four finalists for the job were “of Middle Eastern ethnicity.” Jonathan Marks comments: