The international open-access science journal Molecules announced that they will publish the study by the Ariel University professor which had originally been cancelled for publication. Earlier this week, Molecules cancelled the publication of a study by an Ariel University professor, Dr. Mindy Levine, allegedly after she refused to erase the word “Israel” in the address of the university.
Now Molecules claims the study wasn't published due to a "misunderstanding," and that the study will be published.
"Molecules, published by MDPI, is a scientific journal that has previously published dozens of articles by researchers from Ariel University and one of its regular editors is a professor from Ariel University," a statement by Ariel University read.
"The management of the publishing house emphasized that this was a misunderstanding and when it became clear, immediately announced that the special issue (SI) edited by Prof. Mindy Levin and other editors would be published as planned and it would be noted as acceptable institutional affiliation with Ariel University," it said.
"We are pleased that the publishing management has taken immediate action to correct the error."
The study was originally meant to be featured in the journal’s January 2021 edition. Levine marked the address in the study as “The Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ramat HaGolan 65, Ariel, Israel.”
A group of chemists from around the world complained to Molecules that Ariel is located in occupied territory and not in Israel. The group asked the journal to change the address to say “Ariel University, illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel, Occupied Palestinian Territory,” according to the “Palestinian No Academic Business as Usual with Ariel University” initiative.
After the complaint was issued, the editors of Molecules asked Levine to remove the word Israel from the address at the head of the study, but Levine refused and the journal canceled the publication of the study.