University Of Toronto Law School Embroiled In Azarova Hiring Controversy

Who exactly is Valentina Azarova?

According to Bard College Berlin’s website, Azarova has a PhD in Law from National University of Ireland, Galway. Furthermore, Bard College’s website notes that Azarova “co-founded and taught in the BA program in Human Rights and International Law at Al-Quds Bard College, Al-Quds University. She held lecturing positions at Birzeit University and the University of the Holy Spirit of Kaslik in Lebanon, and research positions at Central European University and Koç University’s Centre for Global Public Law in Istanbul.” 

A review of Azarova’s publications reveals a strong anti-Israel bias. While a complete review of her publications and academic work is beyond the scope of this article, it is worthwhile to touch upon a number of her publications to illustrate her anti-Israel bias. 

Azarova is the co-author of a June 30, 2013 article in the Denver Journal of International Law & Policy entitled “UNESCO, Palestine and Archaeology in conflict”. The article alleges that “Israel has damaged and destroyed Palestinian historical, cultural and religious sites throughout the occupied Palestinian Territory”.

The article ignores thousands of years of Jewish history in the area currently known as the West Bank. The word “Judaism” is completely absent from the article. The word “Jewish” does appear in the article a total of two times, with one of its uses to describe the “neglect of non-Jewish religious sites” in Jerusalem.  Incredibly, the website of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was used by Azarova and her co-author (David Keane) as a source for these allegations. It is important to note that the Palestinian Liberation Organization has a long history of glorifying and sponsoring terrorist attacks against Israelis, promoting violence against Jews on Palestinian TV and other media outlets, and misappropriating  millions of dollars of international aid money.

In an April 1, 2015 article on Birzeit University’s website “Palestine’s Day in Court”, Azarova actually suggested that there is “overwhelming evidence” that Israel has established a system of “apartheid” in the West Bank. Azarova wrote that “The Prosecutor could also investigate whether a regime of apartheid results from the establishment of settlements and their ensuing effects – including two separate legal systems for Palestinians and Israelis that entrench systematic and widespread violations of humanitarian law. Despite the overwhelming evidence, the Prosecutor might consider an apartheid prosecution to be excessively novel, challenging, and politically charged.”