Friday, June 29, 2007

Oxford U. not joining the Israel boycott

A little good news was reported in Ha'aretz today:

Oxford not joining the boycott of Israeli academia
28.6.07 | 20:29 By TheMarker
Oxford University is not joining a boycott, after the University and College Union on May 30 called for its branches to debate withholding cooperation from Israeli universities.

Oxford announced that it "affirms its policy of maintaining open communications and professional links with universities everywhere in order best to support the upholding of the principle of academic freedom".

The boycott was not universally well received in English circles. On Sunday this week, Religious Intelligence reported that the Anglican Bishop of Chester had denounced the UCU call. The site reported that Lady Deech, formerly the leader of St Anne?s College at Oxford, told the House of Lords that the boycott amounted to anti-intellectual bigotry.

The UCU recommendation received a majority of 158 votes of its members against 99 opponents. It called for Europe to withhold funding from Israeli academic institutions.

During the coming year, the union's 120,000 members are to debate the imposition of a boycottt on Israeli academic institutions.

Read the statement Statement on union discussions on a potential boycott of Israeli academic institutions at: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/876275.html

--Wendy in Washington

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