A row over the decision by a leading New York university to refuse playwright Tony Kushner an honorary degree due to accusations he was too critical of Israel has deepened as several high profile honorary degree holders renounced their own awards.
Kushner, who wrote the Pulitzer prize-winning Paul Angels in America, was set to get an honorary degree from John Jay College, a campus of City University of New York. But his name was removed from a list of other intended recipients after a CUNY trustee, pro-Israel activist Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, spoke out against it.
Wiesenfeld accused Kushner of being critical of the Israeli army, supportive of a boycott of the country and of saying that Israel had been founded partly as a result of ethnic cleansing.
In an open letter to CUNY Kushner responded angrily, denying the allegations, accusing Wiesenfeld of slander and saying he was "proud to be Jewish". More...
Kushner, who wrote the Pulitzer prize-winning Paul Angels in America, was set to get an honorary degree from John Jay College, a campus of City University of New York. But his name was removed from a list of other intended recipients after a CUNY trustee, pro-Israel activist Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, spoke out against it.
Wiesenfeld accused Kushner of being critical of the Israeli army, supportive of a boycott of the country and of saying that Israel had been founded partly as a result of ethnic cleansing.
In an open letter to CUNY Kushner responded angrily, denying the allegations, accusing Wiesenfeld of slander and saying he was "proud to be Jewish". More...
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