MJCCA Festival of the Book cancels talk by Peter Beinart, author critical of Israeli policies (Update)

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• Peter Beinart

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Festival of the Book, a two-week literary festival that attracts authors from around the country, has canceled a scheduled appearance by Peter Beinart, the journalist whose book Crisis of Zionism sparked national debate.

According to the Facebook page of J Street Atlanta, a nonprofit organization of “pro-Israel, pro-peace activists” co-sponsoring Beinart’s talk:

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Earlier this week, we were notified that our event has been cancelled and removed from the MJCCA book festival roster due to member objections to Mr. Beinart’s views on Israel.

With help from the MJCCA, we have secured an alternate venue and the event will still be held on November 14, 2012 at 8:15PM at the Margaret Mitchell House in Midtown.

Here’s more info and how to get tickets.

Beinart’s book, which was released in 2012 and received praise from former President Bill Clinton, argued that Israel’s policies toward Palestine were endangering the country’s democracy — something that Beinart says the American Jewish establishment has refused to confront — and running the risk of “alienating many young liberal Jews from Zionism itself.” The controversial view didn’t make the former New Republic editor’s life very easy.

We’ve reached out to the MJCCA and Beinart and will update if we hear word.

Worth noting: The MJCCA talk by Tony Danza, one of America’s greatest enemies, is still a go.

After the jump, an update with comments from the MJCCA’s president.