A UK teachers union is mulling a boycott of Israeli academics who don’t condemn Israeli policies in the West Bank. The Guardian reports today:
The Association of University Teachers‘ annual council, which begins on April 20 in Eastbourne, will also debate whether to boycott three of Israel’s eight universities – Haifa University, Bar Ilan University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem – over their alleged complicity with the government’s policies on the Palestinian territories.
Two years ago, the AUT voted down a similar proposal, but Sue Blackwell (pictured), a Birmingham University lecturer and one of the boycott’s spearheads, expects success this time because of better organization with the Palestinians. The Guardian further reports today that The Israeli Science Foundation has already found itself a victim of the Israel blacklist:
In recent weeks, the foundation has received two rejections from British academics to review an application. In one, received last month, the unnamed academic describes his “utmost respect” for the academic whose grant he’s been asked to review, but refuses on the basis that it is Israeli money and he disapproves of their government’s actions towards the Palestinian people. “I hope you understand this is nothing personal,” he adds.
The second, also received last month, again says the author won’t review the proposal. “I support the academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions, as a means of registering my protest against Israelis’ lack of respect for human rights and continuing illegal occupation of Palestinian land.”
Send (polite!) comments to the AUT at [email protected] and to Ms. Blackwell at [email protected]
