A prominent Israeli academic, Professor Avshalom Elitzur, has sparked outrage after making derogatory comments about Mizrahi Jews and Likud voters during a recent podcast appearance.
Professor Avshalom Elitzur, a former Bar-Ilan University lecturer, who was born in Iran, claimed Likud voters have "an Arab mentality that admires dictators" and made many disgraceful and disparaging remarks about Mizrahi Jews, calling them extreme Arab haters with a huge inferiority complex.
He referred to Dudi Amsaelm as a baboon and to Miri Regev as an idiot.
The self-taught academic, who earned his doctorate from the Weizmann Institute, didn't stop there: He then compared Prime Minister Netanyahu to Nazi collaborators Quisling and Pétain.
In response to the controversy, advocacy group Ad Kan has petitioned the Ministry of Education to ban Elitzur from speaking at schools, where he frequently lectures. The organization cited concerns about his political messaging during these educational visits, including recent criticism of the Netanyahu and Trump administrations at a Tel Aviv high school.
Unsurprisingly, his remarks have drawn sharp condemnation from public figures across Israeli society. Several Mizrahi academics and professionals challenged Elitzur's characterization, with one lawyer noting he holds an advanced degree from the same university where Elitzur taught.
"This isn't just about Netanyahu - it's pure racism against Mizrahi Jews," said one panelist discussing the incident. "Someone like this shouldn't be allowed near educational institutions, especially during wartime when we need unity."
Critics emphasized that Elitzur's views represent extreme margins of Israeli society and called for other academics to publicly denounce his statements. The controversy comes amid broader concerns about divisive rhetoric during a period when national unity is particularly crucial.