Thousands of academics penned a letter condemning the "serious and systematic antisemitism/anti-Jewish hate within the American Psychological Association (APA)" in February.
The signers accused APA officials of failing "to take meaningful action or respond in any significant way" to the repeated attempts to highlight the issue.
The collective signors claimed that documented "extensive evidence" of the antisemitic discourse and behaviors within the APA – which includes statements from APA council members, division leaders, and members.
The alleged antisemitism
The statements allegedly demonstrate the association's "insensitivity toward Jews, a lack of concern regarding antisemitism, minimization of aggression towards the Jewish people and outright hostility and prejudice toward Jews and Jewish heritage."
Written communications shared by the APA members and officials allegedly included statements like "Kudos top Hamas," "Intifada, intifada," and calls to boycott Israel.
The signatories also claimed that Jewish APA has been "harassed, marginalized, and silenced on APA community forums even for attempting to challenge antisemitic rhetoric or correct misinformation."
APA has also allegedly provided a platform to speakers who have openly made antisemitic comments in the past, comments which are said to range from Holocaust distortion to the justification of violence against Jews and Israelis.
One speaker named by the signatories is Dr. Lara Sheehi, who reportedly described Zionists as "genocidal f***s" and called the ideology a "psychosis."
Finally, the signatories accused APA of enacting a double standard, offering swift responses to other issues while remaining in "relative silence on antisemitism."
In addition to thousands of individual professionals, the letter was also signed by the groups Psychologists Against Antisemitism, the American Jewish Medical Association, the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics, and the Jewish Identity and Antisemitism Collective.
