Please vote NO - online poll re academic boycott of Israel and Stephen Hawking
May 8, 2013 - We've recently learned that the internationally-renowned scientist Stephen Hawking has pulled out of a commitment he had made to give a lead lecture at a major international science conference which will be held in Israel next month. What is known as the Israeli Presidential Conference, hosted by Israel's President Shimon Peres, will be in Jerusalem.
In a statement published by the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine, allegedly with Hawking's approval, Hawking's change of mind was described as "his independent decision to respect the boycott, based upon his knowledge of Palestine, and on the unanimous advice of his own academic contacts there."
The British daily newspaper, The Guardian, is conducting an online poll entitled: Is Stephen Hawking right to join the academic boycott of Israel?
We are writing now to ask that you vote NO on this online poll.
The poll is just below the photograph here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2013/may/08/stephen-hawking-boycott-israel
We totally oppose calls for academics - and others - to boycott Israel. Academic boycotts of Israel and calls for such boycotts are inimical to and counter to the principles of academic freedom and freedom of association, key principles for which academics and educational unions have struggled over many years. Rather than limiting interactions with Israeli educators, academics and educational institutions, we recognize the importance of maximizing, instead of proscribing, the free flow of ideas and academic interaction between peoples, cultures, religions and countries.
We agree with Mr. Israel Maimon, Chair of the Israeli Presidential Conference, who said: "This decision is outrageous and wrong. The use of an academic boycott against Israel is outrageous and improper, particularly for those to whom the spirit of liberty is the basis of the human and academic mission. Israel is a democracy in which everyone can express their opinion, whatever it may be. A boycott decision is incompatible with open democratic discourse."
We strongly believe in a two-state solution. Any just and fair resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be brought about through meaningful negotiations between elected Israeli and Palestinian representatives. Academic boycotts of Israel, Israeli institutions or Israeli academics do nothing to bring a just and fair resolution to the conflict any closer, and must for all of the above reasons, be opposed.
Please vote NO in the above online poll, and please as well share this message with your contacts as appropriate.