Editors at the University of Oregon’s Law Review allegedly rejected a legal article solely because the author was affiliated with Tel Aviv University, despite the paper’s content having no political relevance to Israel. Internal emails and statements confirmed the rejection was driven by concerns about “appearing to endorse Israel,” and the decision was reportedly approved by a senior university official.
The incident has raised serious concerns about ideological discrimination in academia and the growing marginalization of Jewish and Israeli scholars on U.S. campuses.
In February 2024, Professor Ofer Raban of the University of Oregon School of Law submitted an article co-authored with a professor from Tel Aviv University. The topic focused on environmental law, but editors of the Oregon Law Review reportedly objected to publishing any content associated with Israel. Emails from student editors revealed explicit concerns that publishing the article could be interpreted as endorsing Israel, even though the paper contained no political content.
Rather than rejecting the submission on academic grounds, the editorial board voted it down due to the Israeli institution listed in the author’s credentials. According to reports, the decision was approved by a senior law school administrator, a move that has since prompted complaints to the university’s Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, no disciplinary action has been announced. The university has claimed that the results of its investigation cannot be released due to employee confidentiality policies. A follow-up request revealed that the only proposed outcome was a suggestion for “anti-bias training” for future law review editors.
The case is unfolding in a broader climate of hostility toward Jewish and Israeli voices on campus. Professor Raban, who raised the complaint, also pointed to incidents of antisemitic posters distributed across campus, a speaker event where Israel’s right to exist was denied, and a student encampment that pushed the administration to denounce Israel and call for a ceasefire. The university reportedly took no action in response to these events.
Critics argue that the law school’s handling of this case reveals a deeper pattern of ideological conformity and intolerance of pro-Israel perspectives. By allowing discrimination based on nationality or institutional affiliation, the university is accused of violating both academic freedom and federal civil rights protections. Legal observers have raised the possibility of Title VI violations, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of national origin in federally funded institutions.
The University of Oregon has not issued any formal apology or public statement addressing the controversy. As the new academic year begins, pressure is growing on the administration to provide transparency and ensure that its scholarly platforms remain open to all qualified contributors—regardless of national origin or political pressure.
