Many students, both Jewish and non-Jewish, have suggested to me that the November 29 panel was largely biased and perhaps even anti-Israel, and that if the event was going to be co-sponsored by UCI’s Department of History, there should have been a more balanced view presented.
I e-mailed Emily Shaaya, Co-President of the Anteaters for Israel, to get her take. Her response:

I think it is important to remember that this panel was NOT about Israel. It was only in the question and answer session that Israel was brought into the picture. While I do agree that the panel was biased, I would not say it was anti-Israel because once again, that was not the intention whatsover. I think it would have been appropriate to have an additional member on the panel that would speak from a more nuetral perspective for those in the audience who may have been there to educate themselves and decide for themselves. I think that a big part of the reason that put the panel into a biased light is the reputation of the professors on the panel for producing literature that has been anti-Israel. This isn’t an issue of “Jewish students” being upset because “anti-Israel” statements were made…this is about UCI’s history dept. being a co-sponsor of the event. [The] UCI administration has been great and very supportive of AFI’s events. I think that it is important that for the future, it is up to UCI administration to make sure that a 360 view of the issue is presented during any school-sponsored event.