Group cries foul after lecture postponed
Plans for an event featuring Walid Shoebat, who identifies as "a former Palestinian Liberation Organization terrorist," and two other ex-terrorists were called off recently after disputes erupted between campus organizers and the Walid Shoebat Foundation.The three speakers were invited to the University earlier this fall by the Princeton Israel Public Affairs Committee (PIPAC), a pro-Israel advocacy group on campus.But PIPAC and the Student Group Projects Board, a USG panel that approves student events and funding, decided to postpone the event because it was being promoted nationally by the Shoebat foundation and had "changed in scope," University spokesperson Cass Cliatt '96 said.Cliatt emphasized that the event had been postponed, not canceled, and that PIPAC had been asked to resubmit its application.The Shoebat foundation is accusing the University of canceling the event out of political considerations, saying they adhered to all procedures for campus events.The foundation will instead hold a press conference Thursday at a nearby location, where the original panel ? including Shoebat ? will speak, executive director Keith Davies said.PIPAC said in a statement Monday: "Despite the enthusiasm of PIPAC and the University community to bring the Walid Shoebat event to campus, the belligerent actions of the Walid Shoebat Foundation caused this event to be postponed."PIPAC accused the foundation of making "unsparing use of intimidation tactics, rudeness and foul language," and said that the organization's leadership "routinely cursed at and insulted the members of PIPAC, including hurling vicious anti-Semitic remarks."Davies denied the allegations.