Noam Chomsky will come to campus Thursday to speak with students about what he views as Israel's policies of apartheid as well as his new book Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians.Chomsky is a professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Although he is retired, Chomsky continues to be active as both an author and a lecturer. Chomsky is a self-proclaimed anarchist and "libertarian socialist."

Chomsky's presentation is part of Israeli Occupation Awareness Week, a collection of lectures and events co-sponsored by Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, the latter of which is an activist group that advocates peaceful resolutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As the featured speaker, Chomsky will give a lecture on Israel's policies of apartheid and his new book, Gaza in Crisis, which he co-wrote with University of Exeter Professor Ilan Pappe, Liza Behrendt '11, a co-founder of JVP said in a telephone interview with the Justice. According to the book's website, it "survey[s] the fallout from Israel's conduct in Gaza and place it into the context of Israel's longstanding occupation of Palestine."

Jonathan Sussman '11, another co-founder of JVP, lauded Chomsky as the featured speaker for Israeli Occupation Week. "I feel that Noam Chomsky is a perfect fit for Brandeis," wrote Sussman in an e-mail to the Justice. "His presence at Brandeis will provide great visibility for the 'other side' of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Sussman also defended Chomsky against attacks from far-right groups and individuals. "In reality, he seeks nothing more than a world united against oppression," he said.

Sarah Geller '13, president of the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, said in a telephone interview with the Justice that she does not agree with the selection of Chomsky as a speaker.

"I respect him as a linguist," said Geller. "He has revolutionized linguistic theory, . but I don't see him as an expert on the Middle East or on the [Israeli-Palestine] conflict. You are not seeing the whole picture, and you are listening to someone who is not an expert."

Geller said she believes that other students on campus share many of her sentiments as well. "People don't really [want to] hear what Noam Chomsky has to say [on this topic] not just for his views on Israel, but also his political views. . He is an anarchist, and some people are turned off by that."

Aside from Chomsky, Behrendt talked about several other important people scheduled to lecture next week, such as Daoud Nassar, a Palestinian farmer who has had much of his land claimed by settlement construction, and Alice Rothchild, a physician and activist who will discuss the prospect of boycott, divestment and sanctions in Israel and Palestine.

Geller also took issue with the selection of Rothchild, who is an advocate of a one-state solution, an idea Geller said BIPAC opposes. Supporters of a one-state solution advocate for Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to be combined into one unified state, while a two-state solution envisions the creation of another Arab state alongside Israel to solve the conflict.

Geller said that speakers do not often show both sides of a conflict, and she believes that many of the speakers will ignore the fact that the economy in the West Bank grew by 11 percent during the global recession and that the Palestinians are steadily taking back control of the land.

"This week is really undermining all of the great work that the Palestinians are doing to create a nation-state," added Geller.