Authorities have agreed to investigate claims that a chemistry professor at Ben-Gurion University has used Facebook posts to incite violence against Israel's Right, following a series of complaints from students and faculty alike. Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan on Thursday ordered the police to open an investigation against Dr. Eyal Nir, who teaches biophysical chemistry and holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. In June, Nir allegedly wrote a post on Facebook calling to "break the neck" of right-wing activists who had been planning to march in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem while waving Israeli flags. That post, which led several people to file complaints with the Justice Ministry, also described the right-wing protesters as "gangs of bandits infesting our country" and linked to a video depicting what Nir considers a provocative march. Nir's comments stirred controversy among both students and faculty. But Nir claimed that his comments are commensurate with how any "reasonable peace-loving person who wants to pursue justice" would act. The head of the Likud Rapid Response Team, MK Ofir Akunis, was one of those to approach the attorney general and ask for an investigation into Nir's comments. Before the State Prosecution announced their decision on Thursday, he said, "Justice in Israel must be upheld for everyone." According to Akunis the state has chosen to remain silent and "turn a blind eye to the Left's inciting rhetoric against the Right" over the years. "This trend must stop. We must deal with it to the full extent of the law," Akunis said. Ben-Gurion University spokesman Amir Rozenblit released a statement Thursday saying, "Dr. Eyal Nir posted his comments on his Facebook profile as a private citizen. The university is not involved in this controversy, which is a matter for the courts to resolve." Nir refused to comment on the investigation.
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