Dr. Maya Wind is a researcher in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia and holds a PhD in Social and Cultural Analysis from New York University.

For years, she has often ignored Palestinian terrorism against Israel, spreading anti-Israel rhetoric and enthusiastically supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS, which undermines the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and calls for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state, is widely regarded as antisemitic. Like Wind’s book Towers of Ivory and Steel, BDS does not offer sustainable solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Towers of Ivory and Steel is described as exposing Israeli universities as “pillars of Israel’s system of oppression against Palestinians,” and it portrays Israeli academia as an active collaborator in Israel’s “colonial-settlement project.”

Wind’s Key Claims

In Towers of Ivory and Steel, Wind presents three main arguments accusing Israeli universities of aiding apartheid and colonialism.

1. Archaeology Departments and the “Colonial Project”

Wind alleges that Israeli universities’ archaeology departments collaborate with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Israel Antiquities Authority, and settlement organizations to further Israel’s colonial ambitions in Judea and Samaria.

However, Wind ignores the extensive historical and archaeological evidence of Jewish presence in the Land of Israel, documented in ancient synagogues and Hebrew writings completed thousands of years before the modern state’s establishment.

Additionally, as an anthropologist, Wind should acknowledge the ongoing destruction and looting of Jewish antiquities by Palestinians, often with the involvement of the Palestinian Authority. UNESCO considers such actions the erasure of cultural heritage and a violation of human rights.

2. Middle Eastern Studies and Military Collaboration

Wind claims that Israel’s Middle Eastern Studies departments support the IDF, citing the Havatzalot Program at Hebrew University, which provides military intelligence training alongside academic studies. She criticizes the university for allocating facilities to this program.

Yet, similar programs exist in democratic countries like the US, UK, France, and Japan, where academic institutions collaborate with military establishments to address national security needs. The Havatzalot Program helps the IDF recruit and train top talent to protect Israel, including Arab citizens. Notably, no Arab students have been displaced from dormitories or denied access to university resources because of the program.

3. Defense Industry Partnerships

Wind argues that Israeli universities collaborate with defense companies like Rafael and Elbit to develop technology and weapons that harm Palestinians.

While such collaborations exist, they aim to enhance precision and minimize civilian casualties. For example, Rafael’s Iron Dome system protects Israeli civilians — both Jews and Arabs — by intercepting rockets from Gaza, often preventing broader military conflicts. This technology has saved countless lives, reducing the need for ground invasions during operations like Pillar of Defense (2012) and Guardian of the Walls (2021).

Israel’s defense innovations address regional security threats beyond the Palestinian arena, including Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran. These technologies also enable the IDF to distinguish between combatants and civilians, using tools like precision missiles and early-warning systems to minimize collateral damage. 

The Reality on the Ground

Despite Wind’s portrayal, the IDF’s military ethos prioritizes minimizing civilian harm. In the first year of the recent Iron Swords War, approximately 40,000 targets in Gaza were struck. Even if we would accept Hamas’ heavily manipulated casualty figures for this period (and it has since been proven those figures are inaccurate and manipulated, that indicates an average of one casualty per strike — an unprecedented ratio for a conflict of this scale.

Furthermore, the civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio is one of the most favorable in modern warfare history. This ratio stands out given Hamas’ practice of embedding terrorists within civilian populations.

Notably, independent analysts have raised concerns about the reliability of casualty reports from Hamas. And this report, for example, “reveals how Hamas distorted fatality statistics to shape international opinion and legal narratives against Israel.”

Ignoring Terrorism in Palestinian Universities

While Wind focuses solely on alleged Israeli transgressions, she overlooks the role of Palestinian universities in fostering terrorism. After Hamas took control of Gaza, universities there were used as hubs for weapons research, intelligence gathering, and terrorist training.

A striking example is the Islamic University of Gaza, which has long served as a center for Hamas’ military operations. The university, established in 1978, has trained operatives in weapons development and intelligence. It also hosts conferences to raise funds for terrorism and disseminates anti-Israel propaganda.

The university’s ties to senior Hamas officials, such as Jamal Zabda — who was killed in Operation Guardian of the Walls — underscore its role in supporting terrorism. Zabda, a former head of Hamas’ research and development division, held a prominent position at the Islamic University, illustrating the direct link between academic institutions and militant activities. 

Conclusion

Maya Wind’s Towers of Ivory and Steel presents a distorted, one-sided narrative that ignores key facts and realities. Israeli universities are not pillars of oppression, but essential contributors to national security, scientific advancement, and the protection of civilians — both Jewish and Arab.

By turning a blind eye to Palestinian terrorism and the militarization of Gaza’s universities, Wind fails to offer a balanced perspective. Instead of fostering understanding or proposing viable solutions, her work perpetuates divisive rhetoric that undermines efforts toward peace and coexistence.

Tom Yohay is the campus advisor in Israel for CAMERA on Campus.

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