UPDATE ON AUT BOYCOTT

This is an update from my post April 28, AUT/Sue Blackwell-Rejoicing Too Soon?. In today's Jerusalem Post there are very strong indications that Britain's Association of University Teachers boycott of two Israeli universities, Haifa University and Bar-Ilan University, will be overturned in an emergency meeting to be held May 26. The 25 signatures required for the meeting were quickly found. Faculty members at Oxford, Warwick, and Sussex universities have rejected the boycott.

Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, who is affiliated with St. Anthony's College Middle Eastern Center at Oxford University sums it up succinctly with the following statement:

Oaths of political loyalty do not belong to academia. They belong to illiberal minds and repressive regimes," wrote Ottolenghi.

"Based on this, the AUT's definition of academic freedom is the freedom to agree with its views only. Given the circumstances, I wish to express in no uncertain terms my unconditional and undivided solidarity with both universities and their faculties."

Very well spoken Dr. Ottolenghi!!

This is what the New York Academy of Sciences had to say:

"by selecting individuals and universities for boycott, is a very clear reminder of 'McCarthy-like' tactics of accusation."

It so refreshing to see so many people and organizations coming to the defense of these two universities. Maybe, just maybe people are beginning to see that some of the condemnations of Israel serve no purpose other than to fuel injustice and to stroke the egos of those of Sue Blackwell's ilk. You know, the ones who don't think about who or what they are really supporting. If the Palestinians put down their suicide belts, the Assam rockets, the AK-47's etc., they would soon have a state. It's time for the Palestinians to grow up and realize that they have to act like adults to solve conflicts, not like two year olds who throw and hit when they do not get their way.