08:31 AM PST on Thursday, December 2, 2004

Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. -- An adjunct sociology professor at the University of Oregon has settled a defamation lawsuit against the writers of an op-ed piece in the New York Post that labeled him an anti-Semite.

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Douglas Card filed suit in 2003 against Daniel Pipes, a Middle East scholar; and Pipes' research assistant, Jonathan Schanzer, a specialist in radical Islamist movements.

The June 25, 2002, column, titled "Extremists on Campus," accused Card of describing Israel as "a terrorist state" and Israelis as "baby killers" in his course. The column also claimed that Card insisted that his students agree in a final exam with his view that Israel "stole land."

Terms of the settlement were not released.

In a joint statement issued by both parties, Pipes and Schanzer said they "are now convinced that Card does not condone extremism in the classroom."

Pipes and Schanzer said they reviewed Card's exam, which had been the basis for their column, and considered Card's public condemnation of anti-Semitism.

While Pipes and Schanzer said they still dispute one aspect of Card's exam, they nevertheless agreed to drop their accusation that he espouses extremism in his classroom.

In a news release from Card and his lawyer, David Force of Eugene, Card said he filed the suit to defend his reputation, the reputation of the university and the concept of academic freedom.

The $1.1 million lawsuit had been dismissed from federal court on what Card described as "procedural grounds." Card was appealing the dismissal when the case settled out of court.

"If Mr. Pipes and I can reach a compromise, there may really be hope for Israel and the Palestinians to reach a just settlement," Card said.