TEN Scotland-based academics are among more than 300 from British universities to announce a boycott of Israeli universities in protest at “the intolerable human rights violations” inflicted on the Palestinian people by Israel.
It comes less than a week after JK Rowling signed a letter opposing cultural boycotts of Israel.
The pledge was printed out in a full-page advertisement in The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday.
Among the Scots academics is theologian and writer Dr Lesley Orr, a research fellow from the University of Edinburgh. A member of the board of the Zero Tolerance Trust, she was named as this year's Scotland's top woman of influence this year.
The other Scots academics were Dr Jim Crowther, Dr Richard Todd, Dr Tahl Kaminer and Dr Anthony Gorman of the University of Edinburgh, Dr Neil Davidson and Keith Hammond of the University of Glasgow, Prof Colin Eden of the University of Strathclyde, Dr Carlo Morelli of Dundee University and Catherine Cobham of the University of St Andrews.
It is signed by 345 university professors and lecturers, with the title: A Commitment by UK Scholars to the Rights of Palestinians.
The boycott comes less than a week after 150 British artists, including Harry Potter author JK Rowling, signed a letter opposing a cultural boycott of Israel and called for engaement with Israel to address Palestinian grievances.
It comes less than a week after JK Rowling was one of more than 150 signatories to a letter written in response to a February missive signed by around 700 artists calling for a cultural boycott of Israel.
The letter signed by Rowling cites its signatories’ belief that “cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory, and will not further peace”, and that “cultural engagement builds bridges, nurtures freedom and positive movement for change”.
The academics' advert says they are “deeply disturbed by Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the intolerable human rights violations that it inflicts on all sections of the Palestinian people, and its apparent determination to resist any feasible settlement.”
It has declared that the signatories will not accept invitations to visit academic institutions, act as referees in any of their processes, corporate or participate in conferences funded, organised or sponsored by Israeli academic institutions.
They pledge to maintain the position until “the State of Israel complies with international law, and respects the principal of human rights.”
The statement has been condemned by both the UK and Israeli governments.
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