Is it unfair for British academics to call for a boycott of Israel, when so many other states have no human rights?

Israelis react with fury to British boycott callBy Donald Macintyre in JerusalemWednesday, 4 March 2009How The Independent broke the story on yesterday's front page Israeli scientists and officials reacted angrily yesterday to calls by more than 400 British academics for the Science Museum to cancel educational workshops planned to promote Israeli science tomorrow. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/israelis-react-with-fury-to-british-boycott-call-1636842.html Asked by spikejones 33 months ago Similar questions: unfair British academics call boycott Israel states human rights Society > News.

Similar questions: unfair British academics call boycott Israel states human rights.

I believe such an action is a national disgrace--it reduces British education to being a lapdog of misguided politics. It is another "intellectually shoddy and politically biased attempts to hijack the central mission of higher education. " As your article points out, this campaign is being resurrected by many of the academics who were behind the failed, 2007 attempt by a British academic union to boycott all Israeli academics.

President Bollinger of Columbia University here in NYC, articulated this far more eloquently than I ever could. This was published in response to a British boycott attempt of Israeli academics back in 2007 which world outrage quashed. Statement by President Lee C.

Bollinger on British University and College Union Boycott "As a citizen, I am profoundly disturbed by the recent vote by Britain’s new University and College Union to advance a boycott against Israeli academic institutions. As a university professor and president, I find this idea utterly antithetical to the fundamental values of the academy, where we will not hold intellectual exchange hostage to the political disagreements of the moment. In seeking to quarantine Israeli universities and scholars this vote threatens every university committed to fostering scholarly and cultural exchanges that lead to enlightenment, empathy, and a much-needed international marketplace of ideas.At Columbia I am proud to say that we embrace Israeli scholars and universities that the UCU is now all too eager to isolate -- as we embrace scholars from many countries regardless of divergent views on their governments' policies.

Therefore, if the British UCU is intent on pursuing its deeply misguided policy, then it should add Columbia to its boycott list, for we do not intend to draw distinctions between our mission and that of the universities you are seeking to punish. Boycott us, then, for we gladly stand together with our many colleagues in British, American and Israeli universities against such intellectually shoddy and politically biased attempts to hijack the central mission of higher education." Published: June 12, 2007 Sources: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/07/06/boycott.html .

It's ridiculous. And it makes anyone looking at these folks honestly and objectively think they are worthy of ridicule for having chosen blindness . .. Unless the one’s "looking" are also blind.

That’s been rather common, lately. We seem to have the "blind leading the blind" (Luke 6:39). And we do seem headed for a ditch.

But I have always thought anti-semitism was only ever one of two things: blindness or theft. The Jews persecuted have been exactly the ones working and constructing--the backbone of the civilization built. In the case of Haman (see Book of Esther), his plan to eliminate Jews from the Persian Empire only started with a vendetta against one man, but turned into a realization that this could mean a lot of money in his pocket.

Likewise, tler’s methodical elimination of the Jews took time out to remove gold fillings from teeth, transfer property titles, etc. Other times, Czarist Russain pogroms, for example, were mere destruction for the sake of humiliation and power, which are stupid when these are the people propping up your government. Consequently, I am more than a little curious to know which it is here."And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). And ever since then, every nation whom the Hebrew people entered has been blessed, and every nation that mis-treated them has suffered or collapsed.

More than coincidence?.

1 Yeah, they've been doing this for a while now. I'm perturbed by it, because they seem to be focusing on a soft target (a real first-world nation with at least some claim to a human rights record) while ignoring more serious violations. It's facile to blame it on simple anti-semitism, though I think that there's a touch of that involved.

I think it has more to do with a simple preference for the underdog: the Israelis are a real first-world nation and therefore to be held to a higher standard than the Palestinians. I don't think that's fair, and I think it's counterproductive. It gives the Palestinians free rein to continue to provoke Israel and let Israel take the blame for reacting.

They seem to figure that they can win the conflict that way, eventually getting world opinion so much on their side that Israel is forced to simply fold up and go. I won't defend Israel on all counts. They've made a lot of mistakes, many of them genuinely blameworthy.

They should be held to a high standard, and they've failed it often. But by blaming only Israel, and not seeing the wider picture, I think that these academics are encouraging terrorism and delaying peace.

Yeah, they've been doing this for a while now. I'm perturbed by it, because they seem to be focusing on a soft target (a real first-world nation with at least some claim to a human rights record) while ignoring more serious violations. It's facile to blame it on simple anti-semitism, though I think that there's a touch of that involved.

I think it has more to do with a simple preference for the underdog: the Israelis are a real first-world nation and therefore to be held to a higher standard than the Palestinians. I don't think that's fair, and I think it's counterproductive. It gives the Palestinians free rein to continue to provoke Israel and let Israel take the blame for reacting.

They seem to figure that they can win the conflict that way, eventually getting world opinion so much on their side that Israel is forced to simply fold up and go. I won't defend Israel on all counts. They've made a lot of mistakes, many of them genuinely blameworthy.

They should be held to a high standard, and they've failed it often. But by blaming only Israel, and not seeing the wider picture, I think that these academics are encouraging terrorism and delaying peace.

2 blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/200... greet ‘Israel Day of Science’ in UK - March 04, 2009The ever-recurring UK debate over whether academics should boycott Israel has spilled out of universities into the museum sector. Events for this week’s Israel Day of Science at science museums in Manchester and London are attracting fierce criticism from some sectors. Protest group the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine says the event’s showcasing of research from Israeli universities “cannot be allowed to happen”.

“These universities are without exception complicit in the mechanisms and policies of the Israeli occupation, and in developing the military technology used in the massacre in Gaza,” says the group’s website. “Protests are rolling in from scientists and non-scientists alike. ”Israel Day of Science aims “to promote the excellence of Israeli science”, with a series of talks and exhibitions.

The Science Museum in London told the BBC the event was private and the organisers had merely hired space at the museum. The museum also insists the event is scientific and “sponsored by an organisation from a country with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations”. Jonathan Hoffman, vice-chair of the Zionist Federation, which is behind yesterday’s event in Manchester and tomorrow’s event in London, says he was “saddened” by the protests (BBC).

Lior Ben Dor, a spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in London, went further, telling the Jerusalem Post, “science transcends borders and continents and therefore, one does not need to be a great scientist to understand that the Israel bashers have crossed the border towards insanity”. A letter opposing the event was published in the Guardian newspaper recently. One signatory, MP, and former chairman of the House of Commons Science Select Committee Ian Gibson told the Independent, “Science is not neutral.It is part of the political process, and very much so in that part of the world.

I’m ashamed that the Science Museum has become associated with this issue. ”In an editorial published today the Times takes aim at Gibson. “This is an arbitrary and vindictive campaign, but above all it is a stupid one,” it says.

Nature’s line, as expressed in this 2002 editorial, is that, “Rather than signing boycotts, which will achieve nothing, researchers worldwide can help the peace process concretely by actively initiating more of such three-way collaborations — and encouraging their institutions to do the same. ” .

blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/200... greet ‘Israel Day of Science’ in UK - March 04, 2009The ever-recurring UK debate over whether academics should boycott Israel has spilled out of universities into the museum sector. Events for this week’s Israel Day of Science at science museums in Manchester and London are attracting fierce criticism from some sectors. Protest group the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine says the event’s showcasing of research from Israeli universities “cannot be allowed to happen”.

“These universities are without exception complicit in the mechanisms and policies of the Israeli occupation, and in developing the military technology used in the massacre in Gaza,” says the group’s website. “Protests are rolling in from scientists and non-scientists alike. ”Israel Day of Science aims “to promote the excellence of Israeli science”, with a series of talks and exhibitions.

The Science Museum in London told the BBC the event was private and the organisers had merely hired space at the museum. The museum also insists the event is scientific and “sponsored by an organisation from a country with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations”. Jonathan Hoffman, vice-chair of the Zionist Federation, which is behind yesterday’s event in Manchester and tomorrow’s event in London, says he was “saddened” by the protests (BBC).

Lior Ben Dor, a spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in London, went further, telling the Jerusalem Post, “science transcends borders and continents and therefore, one does not need to be a great scientist to understand that the Israel bashers have crossed the border towards insanity”. A letter opposing the event was published in the Guardian newspaper recently. One signatory, MP, and former chairman of the House of Commons Science Select Committee Ian Gibson told the Independent, “Science is not neutral.It is part of the political process, and very much so in that part of the world.

I’m ashamed that the Science Museum has become associated with this issue. ”In an editorial published today the Times takes aim at Gibson. “This is an arbitrary and vindictive campaign, but above all it is a stupid one,” it says.

Nature’s line, as expressed in this 2002 editorial, is that, “Rather than signing boycotts, which will achieve nothing, researchers worldwide can help the peace process concretely by actively initiating more of such three-way collaborations — and encouraging their institutions to do the same. ”.

3 Story from BBC NEWS:news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/e... 2009/03/03 17:08:30 GMTMuseum rejects Israel protestsThe Science Museum is rejecting calls from academics to cancel science events being held on its premises to promote the achievements of science in Israel. A protest letter says these Day of Science events support Israeli universities which are linked to Israel's military operations in Gaza. The letter has been signed by professors, lecturers and an MP.

The Science Museum says that to cancel would mean "taking a political stand, which would be wholly inappropriate". The dispute is over two Israel Day of Science events, in Manchester and London, which will promote the "excellence of Israeli" science. 'Respectability' These have been organised by the Zionist Federation and a group of Israeli universities - and will be held in premises hired from the Science Museum in London and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

A protest letter from about 400 academics and supporters of the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (Bricup) says that the events give "respectability" to universities with links to Israel's military engagement in Gaza. It accuses the universities of being "complicit in the Israeli occupation, and in the policies and weaponry so recently deployed to such disastrous effect in Gaza". Campaigners held a protest outside the Museum of Science and Industry on Tuesday.

The Science Museum in London, where the second event is to be held later this week, says: "This is a private event on our normal corporate hire terms which is not co-hosted or sponsored by the museum. "The event has been planned for nearly a year, and has no political theme. It is aimed at all secondary schools, the majority of which are non-Jewish."Scientists speaking at the event include a marine biologist, a physicist who works on experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern, a nanotechnology expert, a water scientist and a geneticist.

"This is a scientific event sponsored by an organisation from a country with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations. " Among those signing the protest letter is Labour MP, Ian Gibson and Professor Steven Rose of the Open University. Two signatories who are listed as General Teaching Council for England are not speaking on behalf of it, nor are they council members of this teachers' regulatory body, says a GTCE spokeswoman.

The Zionist Federation "aims to encourage the participation of Jews in Zionist activities including education, culture, Hebrew language and Israel information". The science days will include lectures by Israeli scientists and "an exhibition aimed at sixth form students from schools throughout the UK". Zionist Federation vice-chairman Jonathan Hoffman said the protesters were asking the Science Museum "to discriminate against Israeli academics".

Story from BBC NEWS:news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/e... 2009/03/03 17:08:30 GMTMuseum rejects Israel protestsThe Science Museum is rejecting calls from academics to cancel science events being held on its premises to promote the achievements of science in Israel. A protest letter says these Day of Science events support Israeli universities which are linked to Israel's military operations in Gaza. The letter has been signed by professors, lecturers and an MP.

The Science Museum says that to cancel would mean "taking a political stand, which would be wholly inappropriate". The dispute is over two Israel Day of Science events, in Manchester and London, which will promote the "excellence of Israeli" science. 'Respectability' These have been organised by the Zionist Federation and a group of Israeli universities - and will be held in premises hired from the Science Museum in London and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

A protest letter from about 400 academics and supporters of the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (Bricup) says that the events give "respectability" to universities with links to Israel's military engagement in Gaza. It accuses the universities of being "complicit in the Israeli occupation, and in the policies and weaponry so recently deployed to such disastrous effect in Gaza". Campaigners held a protest outside the Museum of Science and Industry on Tuesday.

The Science Museum in London, where the second event is to be held later this week, says: "This is a private event on our normal corporate hire terms which is not co-hosted or sponsored by the museum. "The event has been planned for nearly a year, and has no political theme. It is aimed at all secondary schools, the majority of which are non-Jewish."Scientists speaking at the event include a marine biologist, a physicist who works on experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern, a nanotechnology expert, a water scientist and a geneticist.

"This is a scientific event sponsored by an organisation from a country with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations. " Among those signing the protest letter is Labour MP, Ian Gibson and Professor Steven Rose of the Open University. Two signatories who are listed as General Teaching Council for England are not speaking on behalf of it, nor are they council members of this teachers' regulatory body, says a GTCE spokeswoman.

The Zionist Federation "aims to encourage the participation of Jews in Zionist activities including education, culture, Hebrew language and Israel information". The science days will include lectures by Israeli scientists and "an exhibition aimed at sixth form students from schools throughout the UK". Zionist Federation vice-chairman Jonathan Hoffman said the protesters were asking the Science Museum "to discriminate against Israeli academics".

Irish academics call for a boycott of Israel until the end of the occupation. Good idea? (January 2009).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.