Britain’s largest professional body of lecturers Wednesday called upon its 120,000 members to join an international boycott of all Israeli academic institutions. At its inaugural congress in Bournemouth, southern England, delegates from the University and College Union (UCU) were also urged to campaign for the restoration of all aid to the Palestinian Authority and revenues being withheld by Israel.
“Israel’s 40 year occupation has seriously damaged the fabric of Palestinian society through annexation, illegal settlement, collective punishment and restriction of movement,” a motion said raised by lecturers of Brighton and East London universities.
The resolution also deplored the denial of educational rights for Palestinians by “invasions, closures, checkpoints, curfews, and shootings and arrests of teachers, lecturers and students.” “Congress condemns the complicity of Israeli academia in the occupation, which has provoked a call from Palestinian trade unions for a comprehensive and consistent international boycott of all Israeli academics,” it said.
“Congress believes that in these circumstances passivity or neutrality is unacceptable and criticism of Israel cannot be construed as anti-Semitic,” delegates were told.
The call comes after the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (Natfhe) last year voted in favour of an Israeli boycott before its merger into the UCU, despite a massive campaign by the international Zionist lobby.
According to the Guardian newspaper Wednesday, UCU general secretary Sally Hunt was set to personally appeal against joining the academic boycott, which has been hotly debated by lecturers for the past five years.
In 2006, the British government also publicly intervened in the decision by Natfe for the second successive year. Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman expressed regret about the vote, insisting that “academic boycotts are counterproductive and retrograde.”
A separate motion in Bournemouth, raised by delegates from the University of Birmingham, central England, called for the “restoration of all international aid to the PA and all revenues rightfully belonging to it.”
Many leading British writers, artists, musicians, poets, filmmakers and poets, have also joined with their European colleagues in supporting a cultural boycott of Israel.
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22 Responses
Good. I hope it’s now clear where everyone stands.
The Europeans are masters at couching their anti-Israel and anti-semitic true feelings in diplomatic double talk. This makes it clearer for the doubters to see. I just wish they would have voted to boycott Jews in general.
I pray that this is the Ikvesa D’meshicha.
It seems that the “perfectly proper” English professors have got a bad case of “wig in the face” syndrome, whereby they can’t see past their own snobbish noses!!
This really infuriates me.
when one wishes to boycott israel or it’s people one should be aware of what to boycott.
one who boycots israel should be aware when usin his pc that the chips memory or intel technology is not produce in israel.
when going for medical procedures in hospitals one also should make sure that the products were not made in israel or based in israeli technology.
when using one’s celular phone make sure the technoilogy wasn’t develop by israelis
lot’s of medicine has the same problem
so before boycotting get your facts very straight
Why does everyone think that Anti-Israel means Anti-Jewish??
Also if they were true Anti-Semitics they would be against Palestians too, as Arabs are also technically considered “Semitic”.
Why does everyone think that Anti-Israel means Anti-Jewish??
Because it usually does. Granted, there are sometimes it doesn’t, but those cases are few and far between. There’s really no reason to be ‘dan lezechus’ in this case – they certainly wouldn’t judge you the same way. Don’t be so PC.
Also if they were true Anti-Semitics they would be against Palestians too, as Arabs are also technically considered “Semitic”.
Pure semantics. While technically true, the term ‘anti-semite’ in today’s vocabulary means anti-Jewish. I’ve yet to see an Arab leader condemn America or anyone else for being too anti-semitic.
ikzalbysy are you serious? your argument that anti-semitism also includes arabs is totally ignorant of reality and betrays an underlying apologistic approach to anti-jewish bias. Yes arabs are semites but the term anti-semite was specifically created to mean specifically jews only. German Jew-Hater Wilhelm Marr used it in his “The Way to Victory of Germanicism over Judaism” as a substitute for “Jew-Hatred.” Marr thought that getting people to adopt “anti-Semitism” would make demonizing Jews sound more scientific and legitimate. Marr would later go on to found the “League of Anti-Semites”, creating the first German organization explicitly dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish presence in Germany.
wake up and stop talking nonsense
“G-d Save the Hatred” (sic)
When the Iranians kidnapped 15 British sailors in Iraqi water, It didn’t bother me – I figured let the Brits be busy with that instead of antisemitism.
If they want Israel Why not wipe off Iran? May Mashiach come Bimheira Byameynu Amen!
ikzalbysy –
In the eyes of the world, the entire Jewish population is represented by Israel. That was the whole tumul with El Al flying on Shabbos. As representatives of the Jewish people, it would be wrong. You see that it didn’t bother anybody thar Israir flies on Shabbos, they’re not the Official Israeli Airline.
Which palestinian lap dog wrote the sheker-filled document cited in this article? And why do we have to publish (i.e., read) such drivel?????
Luckily, since we frum yidden don’t go to universities anyways, this whole issue won’t really effect us.
What kind of attitude is that? Firstly, many frum people DO attend universities, not everyone is in Yeshiva. Secondly, do we not care about non-frum people? It’s a terrible attitude to have, but sadly, it’s all too common.
Rodef Sholom,
I second that! It happens to be that the LUBAVITCHER REBBE was college educated amongst many other frum yidden.
Implying that we be indifferent to the welfare of non frum Jews, is SHOCKING beyond words!
‘Luckily, since WE frum yidden don’t go to universities anyways, this whole issue won’t really effect us.’
I challenge you to submit that post again but instead of covering it up with your pseudonym, use your real name. Hopefully the Rabonim of your town or community will read it and ‘shep lots of nachas ‘ from you!!!!
YW;
What impression do you think that comment will make on the ‘border-line’ frum readership??
i guess rodef shalom necer heard of yeshiva university
amazing how some people just say things that dont make any sense at all
He certainly did go to university and never encouraged his Chassidim to do so because at the time the atmosphere was not suitable at all! Today there are places which have separate classes for men and women.
‘Name me one Gadol that I hold of that went to college’
Firstly, I recommend you learn English. What you should have written was ‘Name me one Gadol I hold of who went to college’, but nevermind.
Secondly that comment is not even worth a response.
jdspero i wonder if you hold by r’ y.beer solovetchik ztl
university of berlin
BOGOTANER; well said The Rov ZTL did get his PHD from the univ of berlin…
JDSPERO: you claim “you heard” that the rebbe’s diploma was a nes min hashomayim. Did you “hear” this from a bas kol min hashomayim??
JD says:
‘Also, nameless, I don’t post for responses. I do it for fun. ‘
Yah, well guesse what? We’re having ‘fun’ too. I mean really , read Gezint’s last comment. He hit the mark!
JDSPERO english is not my mamelushen