Emanuele Ottolenghi reflects on what is laughably called freedom of speech among the students at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies, a hot-bed of anti-Israel feeling. After a lot of pressure from the School, the Student Union agreed to allow an Israel society to be established. But this hardly ushered in a new era of liberal thought:

'Pro-Israel students can now have their society, but that does not mean they can hold events. The Israel Student Society invited a speaker, Roy Gilead from Israel's embassy, to speak on campus on February 22. The Union voted to force the sponsors to disinvite him. Again, a swift intervention from the administration had the Union backtrack and the event can now go on. Still, Kavita Meelu, co-president of the Union, said in a statement, "we have advised the society that the student body... has explicitly expressed that they do not wish for this speaker to be allowed a platform, and therefore will not be actively supporting the society's event."

Veiled threat or grudging concession? Hard to say. Don't anticipate a Student Union welcoming committee when Gilead arrives.

What is obvious is that when it comes to students, at SOAS dissenting views have no place. It is only thanks to pressures exerted from above — and Professor Colin Bundy, head of SOAS, should be commended for coming down on the side of freedom of speech — that a lone Israeli embassy spokesman could get a one-time chance to offer an alternative view of the Arab-Israeli conflict, before the old tune is monotonously sung again by the usual suspects.'

Thus the academy in Britain -- crucible of freedom of thought. Not.