Watch David Miller talk about his anti-Zionist legal victory

Sacked professor successfully sued Bristol university.

First published by The Electronic Intifada.

On last week’s livestream, The Electronic Intifada spoke to David Miller, the academic and writer that the Israel lobby in Britain has been pursuing for years.

After a long smear campaign by that same lobby, in 2021 Miller was fired from his job as professor of sociology by the University of Bristol.

But earlier this month Miller succeeded in bringing a case against his former employer for wrongful dismissal.

On 5 February, a UK employment tribunal ruled that Miller had been unlawfully sacked, and ordered Bristol university to pay substantial damages.

Crucially, the tribunal ruled that Miller’s philosophical beliefs as an anti-Zionist had been violated.

“This is a landmark case and marks a pivotal moment in the history of our country for those who believe in upholding the rights of Palestinians,” said Miller’s lawyer Zillur Rahman. “The timing of this judgment will be welcomed by many who at present are facing persecution in their workplaces for speaking out against the crimes of the Israeli state.”

Miller talked on the livestream about the significance of the ruling.

He said that “it’s clear that anti-Zionism is [now] a protected belief and is separate from anti-Semitism … this is a victory for all of us.”

He also said that the ruling would have longer term consequences for Israel’s bogus definition of anti-Semitism, the so-called International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition, which could now start to be rolled back: “I’m very optimistic that this is the beginning of the end of the IHRA.”

My colleague Ali Abunimah described the ruling as “a very significant turning point for free speech and academic freedom and a real blow against the thuggery of the Israel lobby.”

Abunimah asked Miller for his advice to other academics, writers and activists who are being attacked by the Israel lobby in a similar fashion.

“The key thing is to adopt a strategy of attack,” Miller replied. “Of not apologizing.”

This contrasts with the approach of many in the UK Labour Party during the Jeremy Corbyn leadership, which Miller argued was simply to apologize and placate.

“That’s a losing strategy … my strategy was to say: We do not compromise with the Zionists because we cannot. This is a racist ideology and it simply has to be defeated.”

You can watch the full conversation in the video above.