Kross, who is also chair of the Estonia-Israel Riigikogu group, noted that while all Jewish organizations in Estonia were, along with Estonia's statehood, destroyed during the Soviet occupation, with Jewish leaders deported to Siberia, the universities in Estonia were not entirely "cleansed" of Jews after World War Two, implying that this was what EKA had effectively done via its decision to wrap up a workshop cooperation with Jonathan Ventura, an associate professor at Shenkar College in Tel Aviv.

Writing on his social media account, Kross noted: "I don't know what kind of sentiments prevail over at EKA. But if those sentiments suggest that better art education requires making the academy free of Jews, then something must be seriously wrong with those 'sentiments'."

Kross noted that David Ben-Gurion had visited Estonia in 1931, during the period of the First Estonian Republic. Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) went on to become one of the main founders of the modern-day State of Israel, which became a reality in 1948, and became its first prime minister.

Leib Jaffe, a Jewish leader representing Jews residing in the Palestinian Mandate at that time, met with Estonian President Konstantin Päts and Foreign Minister Jaan Tõnisson, also in 1931, Kross added.

"In May 1939, as concentration camps were being opened in Germany, the Estonian government provided the Estonia Theater as a lecture place for Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky, who was raising funds to arm the Jewish army in Palestine," Kross continued.

"Almost complete 'Judenfrei' status was only achieved during the German occupation," Kross noted.

EKA, Kross wrote, has now taken the same line as the Nazi-era Göttingen University in Germany, or the Leningrad and Moscow universities during the Soviet era.

"Although many EKA alumni have scorned Konstantin Päts and consider him an autocrat and near-dictator, it was during his time [in office], as anti-Semitism last became fashionable in Europe, that a chair of Jewish Studies was established, at the University of Tartu," Kross remarked.

In the present, Kross wrote that explanations by outgoing EKA rector Mart Kalm on the decision to cease cooperation with Ventura, Shenkar College and with Israeli universities more broadly were "strange."

"It is somewhat odd that this comes from a man who recently argued for preserving Soviet symbols on buildings in Tallinn and described himself as 'fundamentally a supporter of a rich historical narrative'," Kross continued, referencing ongoing controversy over Soviet-era symbols, statues, frescoes, and other installations which remain on public buildings in Estonia and the extent to which they have some sort of cultural value.

Kalm, for his part, had stated that Israeli universities are aware of the prevailing sentiments, and that most European art universities have made decisions similar to EKA's.

According to Kross, now should be a time to strengthen and not sever ties with Israeli universities and Israel in general, to support and understand them, even in the face of strong opposition both from Israel's stated enemies and from some quarters in Western societies.

"Iran, Russia, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Europe's left-wing idiots, of course, disagree," he continued.

"The latter wear T-shirts with 'Gays for Hamas' emblazoned on them," he added.

"Is EKA in the same camp and on the same intellectual level as these? Or will we soon start cooperating with Hamas universities?" Kross inquired.

"It is disheartening that the foolish anti-Semitism rampant in many parts of Europe has become a model for our universities," he added.

Ventura had given the first half of his workshop at EKA last month and briefly addressed the present-day geo-political situation. The seminar reportedly progressed smoothly, and Ventura praised EKA as an institution to work with. The second half of the workshop was due to take place in February.

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