British Academics Approve Proposal to Boycott Israeli Institutions

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.”

Though the vote passed 158 – 99 with 17 abstentions, Sally Hunt, the UCU's general secretary said she didn’t think its full membership would agree with the Union representatives.

"Now, the Union's branches will consult their members to form a stance on the boycott. Any decision to actually impose a boycott will have to overcome serious stipulations,” said Hunt, who is also opposed to the proposal.

Meanwhile Jewish groups decried the UCU’s decision as did England’s Ambassador to Israel, Tom Phillips
.
“The best way to find a peace solution is to support a dialogue between the two sides," Phillips told Israel Radio.
http://www.infoisrael.net/cgi-local/text.pl?source=2/a/vi/310520071

 

They don't boycott the US for occupying Iraq, they don't boycott themselves for occupying Iraq, they don't boycott Palestinian Institutions for glorifying suicide bombings, they don't boycott Iran for kidnapping their troops, they don't boycott China for human rights violations, they don't boycott Sudan and Rwanda for massacres and genocide, they don't boycott Russia for its Chechnya campaign or for the assassination of a Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko on British soil.

But they boycott Israel, ironically in this case they boycott the most liberal and open-minded part of the Israeli society - its universitites. Applying a totally different standard to the jews compared to any other religion/ethnicity or nation has long been known as anti-semitism.

 

Here is the reaction to the vote:


"It is a shame that academics, who are always a bastion of democracy and free speech, should resort to such a discriminatory, stereotyped and warped manner of behavior,"

"Academia is based on discourse, argument and the transparent search for truth. A boycott which is identified with opinions whose roots may be religious or a totalitarian world view is therefore inherently incompatible with academia."

"The UK government," said Minister of State for Education Bill Rammell, "fully supports academic freedom and is firmly against any academic boycotts of Israel or Israeli academics. I profoundly believe this does nothing to promote the Middle East peace process."

Denis MacShane, Labor MP and chair of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism, said: "The decision by the UCU is completely deplorable and counterproductive. The motion will do nothing to help Palestinian students, who are keen to study in the relative oasis of Israeli universities, and will exacerbate the position of Jewish students in the UK, who already feel harassed, intimidated and uncomfortable on campus."

Fellow Labour MP John Mann...added: "This is a total distraction from what the Union should be doing, which is looking after the working conditions and rights of its members. It is in danger of placing itself in the tiny margins of British society - which is not in anyone's interests, least of all Palestinian trade unionists. What is needed is more dialogue, not less."

Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith called the UCU vote "a pathetic attempt by politically motivated people to destroy the balanced ethos on university campuses and use their privileged position to further their own ends. Every right-minded person should condemn it."

Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne added, "Curbing basic freedoms such as the freedom of inquiry and research would be wholly counterproductive in putting pressure on Israel to change its policies... This boycott is misconceived and should be dropped."

Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) also called the boycott "immoral and antithetical to academic principles."


Edward Beck, president of SPME, said in a statement that "the British have separated themselves - not the Israelis - from the global academic community which firmly condemns academic boycotts for moral, ethical and intellectual reasons, frequently acknowledging that academics are active in trying to solve problems and not create additional ones."

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called the boycott motion an attack on academic exchange which undermines the values of equality and freedom that ought to be fundamental to all British academic institutions.

"It is clear," added Ronnie Fraser, director of the Academic Friends of Israel, "that the union has ignored the words of Dr. Sari Nusseibeh, president of Al-Quds University, who wrote that an international academic boycott of Israel, on pro-Palestinian grounds, is self-defeating - as it would only succeed in weakening that strategically important bridge through which the state of war between Israelis and Palestinians could be ended, and Palestinian rights could there for be restored."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1180527974042&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

 

Um, the british had a bit of control over many of the territories you mentioned, in times past,including china golly gosh, their massive arms dealers in africa and the former soviet block, and have always been virulently anti jewish/minority/anyone not british and have the longest continuing modern history of international diplomacy in the world.

Different standard, rubbish.
Not to mention, that the vote in question was for "academics" to "discuss" something, always a sure fire path to actual action.

 

Israel is something else. It's a racist state that compares best with Rhodesia, although Israel is much more oppresive. I am sure that there is not going be a true boycott of Israeli goods, as Jewish power in Britain will almost certainly prevent that. But, it's still a good sign. The Iraq war was a war for Israel and 911 took place because of US support for Israel, though it's worth noting that the US government is basically occupied by Jewish extremists. If you keep all these facts in mind, it's quite easy to indentify the source of evil in the world.

Not to mention the fact that Zionist power has caused the American entry into both WW1 and WW2, or the pervesion this very group has foisted on the western world during the last 60 years.

Some interesting information about Israel:

Is it Israeli Democracy or "Jewish Democracy", you be the judge. Are you aware that:

* Prior to the 1948 war, Palestinian Christians and Muslims were a two-third majority of the population of Palestine, who owned and operated 93% of Palestine's lands?

* Prior to the 1948 war, most Israeli Jews were persecuted and dispossessed European Jews who made a one-third minority of the population?
* For Israel to become a "Jewish majority" it opted to expel and dispossess the two-third Palestinian majority?

* 80% of the Palestinian people were dispossessed from their homes, farms, and businesses and have been kept out for the past 54 years?

* Only one of the 45 Zionist Jews who sign the Israeli "declaration of independence" on May 14th, 1948 was born in Palestine. The other 44 were mostly Jewish refugees who escaped their anti-Semitic Europe countries, such as Tsarist Russia, Germany, and Poland.
* Israeli-Palestinian citizens live almost in segregated communities (or ghettos) because development is strictly limited outside their villages? Ironically, the word "ghetto" was invented to describe the living conditions of Eastern European Jews in Tsarist Russia!

* For just being "Jewish" you gain an automatic citizenship in Israel? Plus tens of thousands of dollars in subsidies too.

* Palestinian Muslims or Christians refugees, who were born in the country and later expelled, cannot gain Israeli citizenship? Of course, unless they convert to Judaism first!

* Pretending to be Jewish in Israel is punishable by law with up to one year's imprisonment? On the other hand, if you pretend to be a Muslim or Christian the law does you no harm!

* When the Palestine problem was created by Britain in 1917, more than 92% of the population of Palestine were Arabs and there were at that time no more than 56,000 Jews in Palestine? That Muslim, Christian, and Jewish Palestinians at that time lived in peace with each other?

* Palestinians in the early 20th century owned 97.5% of the land, while Jews (native Palestinians and recent immigrants together) owned only 2.5% of the land?

* Close to 4 million Palestinian Muslims and Christians are being subjected to Israeli laws that are different than the laws governing the 4.5 million Israeli Jews? Is this a "democratically" elected apartheid, or not, that is the question?

* In the occupied West Bank there are "Jewish Roads" and "Non-Jewish Roads"?

* Israel issues national identify cards where the religion of the card holder is clearly shown in bold type?

* Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza drive vehicles with license plates that have different coloring than the cars driven by Israeli settlers?

* Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza hold ID cards that are of different colors than the cards held by Israeli settlers?

* The only form of Judaism recognized by the "Jewish state" is Orthodox Judaism, so most US Jews could not get married in Israel. Furthermore, the only conversion to Judaism recognized is Orthodox, so most US converts aren't Jewish enough.

* Just prior to the 1948 war, Jews owned under 7% of Palestine's land, and to increase their share after the war, they passed the "Absentees' Law" which dispossessed the Palestinian majority land owners who later became "absent". What is even more tragic was the passage of an oxymoron law, called "Present Absentees' Law," which dispossessed the Palestinian-Israeli citizens who became internal refugees in Israel. It is worth noting that the internal Jewish refugees were not dispossessed as a result of this racist law.

* The U.S. funneled into the Israeli economy over 130 billion dollars, which is almost twice the amount devoted to rebuilding Western Europe after WW II!

* Israeli democracy is a facade for "Jewish Democracy?"

* Israel has nuclear weapons, and it was close to dropping one on Cairo in 1973?

* Israeli soldiers use human shields in battle to minimize their casualties?

* Israel killed over 20,000 Lebanese and Muslims (90% of whom are civilians) with American made and paid for weapons?

http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Palestine-Remembered/Story811.html


The follwing site is a good source of information for students of the conflict.

http://www.palestineremembered.com/

 

In a region of autocracies and theocracies, Israel serves as a beacon of hope for peoples who long for freedom.

The people of Israel come from more than 100 countries. They represent diverse ethnic, religious, and racial groups. Roughly half the population has origins in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Roughly one-fifth of the Israeli population is not Jewish.

Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy equal rights with Jewish citizens of the state. Israeli Arabs participate in all aspects of Israeli life, from menial jobs to Supreme Court justices.

Hebrew and Arabic are the two official languages of the state.

Israelis enjoy freedom of speech, assembly, and religion

Israel’s free press is one of the most vibrant in the world.

Israel’s Declaration of Independence guarantees freedom of religion for all.

Israel also recognizes the freedom of assembly. Tens of thousands of Israelis have turned out for rallies for peace, sometimes in support of their government and sometimes to protest its policies.

Israel’s elections are a model of the democratic process.

Israel is the only country in the Middle East that provides full equality for women

Israel is one of the most progressive countries in the world in terms of recognizing differences based on sexual orientation.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/talking/36_liberal.html

Yep, you're right, sounds like Rhodesia to me.

 

Jewishvirtuallibrary is hardly a trustworthy source, they don't even footnote most of their "factsheet" pages. Despite the fact that both Palestineremembered and Jewishvirtualliberary are biased source, anyone can make a comparison between the following pages.

http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Right-Of-Return/ - Clearly documented and directly adressing the Zionist claims.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/talking/2_return.html - No footnotes, repeating 60 year old propaganda that is shot down on the site above.

Nonsense, Jews aren't even allowed to marry non-Jews.

Not Jewish Enough to Marry a Cohen — Israel’s Marriage Law



Proof that Israel does not allow marriage between a Jew and non-Jew!

Mr. Duke,

You have stated several times that it is illegal for Jews to marry non-Jews in Israel. Can you prove this?

The reason I ask is because of a conversation I am having with somebody. He asked me to prove it. If I wanted to I could show him numerous articles stating that. But I would prefer to show him something from a Jewish source. I haven’t been able to find any and was hoping that you could help me out.

Marriage between a Jew and non-Jew is not legally permitted in Israel. Jews who want to marry Gentiles must travel to another nation to marry. I will link you to an article in the Haaretz Newspaper in Israel and then to an article from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The first article shows you the extent to which Jewish radicalism prevails in Israel. It is about a man named Cohen (Cohen family names are of the Jewish priest class descent) who was not even allowed to marry another Jew in Israel because although she was a legally recognized Jew she was not of absolutely pure Jewish descent. No Jew in Israel can marry a non-Jew. And the Kohanim (Cohen priest class) is not even allowed to marry someone who is a Jew but not of a perfectly pure pedigree! There have been many minor articles about this in the Jewish press and elsewhere over the years, it just is never made into a major issue by the Jewish dominated media.

The second article from the Jewish Telegraph Agency discusses a recent bill that would have allowed marriages between Jews and non-Jews. It was overwhelmingly defeated and even the writer says this is a great weapon that those who claim Israel is a racist state can now use. However, as you know, there is hardly a peep about this in the press. As a result your friends are unaware of it and can hardly believe your assertions.

I hope this helps you in your discussions. You should pound it home with the proof you now provide that your friends have been deceived on this issue, and you can show how if they have been deceived on this issue there are likely other issues that the Jewish extremist press suppresses. As you know, any White nation on the planet that forbade the marriage of Whites with other races would be bitterly attacked on worldwide basis with a non-stop media barrage. And of course, that barrage would be led by the same Jewish pundits and editors who hide the most racist policies of any nation on earth: that of the nation of Israel. How does one explain how Israel gets away with this other than as a result of the tremendous power and influence of Jewish extremists in the American and world Press.

One last note. The ability for us to expose these deceptions so easily on the Internet with links to original Jewish sources is precisely why the Jewish supremacists are working to criminalize any criticism of Jewish extremism and why they are working so hard to control the Internet with filters and the like. In tens of thousands of libraries, schools, or institutions one cannot even access my site through the Jewish instigated filtering system against so-called “hate sites.” You see it is called “hate” to expose Jewish racism, intolerance and hate! So millions who research on the issue from those Internet portals won’t even be able to read this article or even know of the underlying Jewish articles that prove my point!

You have a responsibility to spread it far and wide on the Internet and to friends and family.

Sincerely, David Duke
Not Jewish Enough to Marry a Cohen

I will also include a link here to the PBS and “NOVA” website celebrating this genetic purity of the Kohanim. How is Judaism lauding and legally protecting the genetic purity of their “priest class” any different from the Nazi demand for genetic purity of their elite: the SS. One is lauded and the other vilified as the worst example of “racism.” The amount of Jewish supremacist media manipulation of our perceptions and values is quite striking. — dd

Tracing the Cohanim — PBS NOVA

Here are excerpts from a recent article from the Jewish Telegraph Agency where bills were handily defeated that would have permitted such civil marriage between a Jew and non Jew:

They talk of change, but liberal parties thwart reform of Israel’s marriage laws
By Jason Gitlin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, march 24, 2004
http://www.davidduke.com/general/pr...w-marriage-between-a-jew-and-non-jew_317.html

 

Don't you just love the way the jews have bent the rules so that it has become an illegal offence to call a jew a criminal? It's there license to do as they wish. As soon as you acuse them of wrong doing, they say you are an anti-semite and get you arrested for hate crimes!

I say turn the place in to a glass desert.

 

Last update - 10:06 31/05/2007


South Africa's largest trade union seeks to boycott Israel

By Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent

South Africa's largest trade union federation will launch a campaign against "the Israeli occupation of Arab lands" this week, demanding that Pretoria impose a boycott on all Israeli goods and break diplomatic relations. South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils, who is Jewish, told Haaretz that he actively supported the initiative - which contradicts the policy of his own cabinet.

The president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Willy Madisha, announced the launching of the campaign last week in Johannesburg, calling on the government to cease all diplomatic relations with Israel after its attacks on Palestinian leaders.

"The best way to have Israel comply with United Nations resolutions is to pressure it by a diplomatic boycott such as the one imposed on apartheid South Africa," Madisha said. Cosatu belongs to a recently-formed coalition of organizations operating under the banner "End The Occupation."

Kasrils' anti-Israeli organization Not In My Name belongs to the coalition working toward an embargo on Israel. This runs contrary to South Africa's official stance, and to President Thabo Mbeki's decision to strengthen trade ties with Israel. Mbeki, who heads the ANC ruling party, even appeared as a guest at Israel's Independence Day celebrations in Durban last month.

Kasrils, a member of the ANC, told Haaretz that his support for severing all ties with Israel was not in opposition to his cabinet's policy. "Cosatu is an ANC ally in the coalition against the Israeli occupation. Most elements of this coalition call for boycotting Israel, although the ANC does not," he said.

"We respect their right to encourage people to boycott Israeli goods. As a South African consumer I personally will not purchase Israeli goods until Israel changes its present policy regarding the Palestinians. "

Cosatu's spokesman, Patrick Craven, said Kasrils was involved in directing the campaign for imposing a political and economic embargo on Israel. "This is intended to include the diamond trade," he added.

Craven acknowledged that his organization' s primary objectives did not pertain to the Middle East, noting that while Cosatu's main goal was improving the material conditions of its 1.8 million members, "it could not stand idly by as Israel perpetrated atrocities in Palestine." Adding that he anticipated "some short-term damage" to South Africa's economy following the boycott, Carven said the damage was "vastly outweighed by the importance of stopping injustice."

The campaign that Cosatu has helped mount will begin Friday, with sermons in South Africa's mosques on "the plight of the Palestinian people". The Christian organizations of the coalition will begin addressing the issue in churches Sunday.

The organizers intend to picket across South Africa next week, including a picket by members of parliament and a candlelight vigil outside the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg. The ANC ruling party has called for a parliamentary debate on "Israeli occupation."

Campaign activists will also hold pickets outside selected stores selling Israeli goods. The events will culminate in mass marches and rallies on Saturday, June 9, both in Cape Town and Johannesburg.