British Academics Approve Proposal to Boycott Israeli Institutions
By Amihai Zippor
(IHC News, 31 May 2007) England’s University and College Union (UCU) voted on Wednesday, 30 May 2007, in favor of discussing a major boycott of Israeli institutions and freezing all EU funding to Israeli higher education due to “Israeli academia’s cooperation with the occupation.”
Despite the fact that the vote was largely symbolic it gave the power of all the UCU’s local branches and the Union’s 120,000 members to debate the issue and if they desire to institute a formal boycott of Israel.
“Israel’s 40-year occupation has seriously damaged the fabric of Palestinian society through annexation, illegal settlement, collective punishment and restriction of movement. Congress deplores the denial of educational rights for Palestinians by invasions, closures, checkpoints, curfews and shootings and arrests of teachers, lecturers and students,” the UCU said.
It added, “Congress condemns the complicity of Israeli academia in the occupation… Congress believes that in these circumstances passivity or neutrality is unacceptable and criticism of Israel cannot be construed as antisemitic.” (more….)
