Peter Beinart Apologizes for Speaking at Tel Aviv University Amid Backlash

Peter Beinart, a leading American Jewish critic of Israel and longtime advocate for the boycott of Israeli institutions, has issued a public apology for giving a lecture at Tel Aviv University sparking controversy on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian debate.

Beinart’s lecture, titled “Trump, Israel, and the Future of American Democracy,” was held at TAU this week. Despite the event’s academic framing, it triggered fierce criticism from Israeli nationalists and pro-Palestinian boycott activists alike.

In a statement posted to social media on Wednesday, Beinart acknowledged that accepting the invitation had been “a serious mistake,” saying he had failed to consider Palestinian perspectives before agreeing to speak at an Israeli university. “I let my desire for that conversation override my solidarity with Palestinians,” he wrote.

Beinart defended his motives, stating he received no payment for the talk and simply wanted to speak directly to Israelis. “I’ve hoped for more conversations with Israelis to explain why I believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and why I believe Jewish supremacy is fundamentally wrong,” he added.

Beinart has become one of the most controversial figures in Jewish intellectual circles, shifting over the years from liberal Zionism to full-throated support for a one-state solution and institutional boycotts of Israel. His most recent book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza. A Reckoning, calls for a redefinition of Jewish identity in opposition to the existence of a Jewish state.

Still, the backlash was swift. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel denounced Beinart’s appearance at TAU, accusing him of legitimizing what they consider a “complicit” institution involved in Israel’s military policies. A social media video campaign condemned the event and called on supporters to disavow it.

On the other side, the Israeli nationalist organization Im Tirtzu condemned TAU for giving a platform to a speaker who supports BDS, sanctions, and the Palestinian right of return. CEO Matan Gerafi wrote to the university’s president demanding the event’s cancellation, accusing Beinart of promoting policies that would erase Israel’s Jewish identity.

Public diplomacy activist Hen Mazzig added his voice, noting the irony of Beinart accusing Israel of apartheid while speaking at a university that includes Arab Israeli students and faculty. Pro-Israel influencers widely amplified this criticism, arguing that academic freedom should not include legitimizing those who seek to dismantle the Jewish state.

In response, Tel Aviv University defended the event as an exercise in academic freedom and said Beinart was instructed to stick to the agreed-upon topic.

Beinart’s apology has satisfied few—leaving him attacked by those he claims to support, and distrusted by those he sought to challenge. His case underscores the deep divides and irreconcilable expectations that surround anyone who tries to engage with Israel while promoting its boycott.

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