The linguist and political analyst Noam Chomsky has ruled out an attempt to return to the West Bank today following his denial by the Israeli military. Chomsky was scheduled to speak at Bir Zeit University near Ramallah and meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, but was denied entry by Israeli soldiers on Sunday after attempting to enter from Jordan. Chomsky will deliver the lecture by video conference from Jordan. On Monday, Chomsky said the Israeli move illustrated its stranglehold over the West Bank.

Noam Chomsky: “The problem is not mine. The problem is an insult to Bir Zeit University, which is being told by the Israeli government that Israel insists on deciding who they are allowed to invite to speak. I happen to be the person who is blocked from speaking there, but it’s a statement by Israel that they control who Bir Zeit University can invite. I’ve never heard of anything like that with another university. I travel all the time.”

(Related coverage: Denied Entry: Israel Blocks Noam Chomsky from Entering West Bank to Deliver Speech)