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Freddie Stubbs

(29,853 posts) Fri Dec 27, 2013, 11:37 AM Dec 2013

Brown, RIC reject boycott of Israeli academic institutions

Source: Providence Journal

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University and Rhode Island College are among more than a half-dozen New England universities and colleges that have publicly stated their opposition to a boycott of Israeli academic institutions led by a Washington-based organization of U.S. scholars.

Since the American Studies Association announced its boycott Dec. 16 to protest Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, university leaders at Harvard and Yale, among others, have denounced the boycott as a violation of academic freedom.

“Brown University does not support academic boycotts against Israel or any other country,” Brown University President Christina Paxton said in a statement released Christmas evening. “To do so would be antithetical to open scholarly exchange and would inhibit the advancement of knowledge and discovery … .”

Brown’s membership in the American Studies Association expired June 30, 2013, and the university “is no longer a member of the ASA, the statement said.

Read more: http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20131227-brown-uri-reject-boycott-of-israeli-academic-institutions.ece

10 replies

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Highlight:

Brown, RIC reject boycott of Israeli academic institutions (Original Post) Freddie Stubbs Dec 2013 OP

This is the number one issue right now. Jesus Malverde Dec 2013 #1

The anti-apartheid movement worked for SAfrica. But there is fear of loss of funding with this. kelliekat44 Dec 2013 #2

Israel is not in a "panic". former9thward Dec 2013 #3

Thanks for correcting me. Jesus Malverde Dec 2013 #4

well thanks for pointing that out azurnoir Dec 2013 #5

Name a serious institution that is boycotting Israel. former9thward Dec 2013 #6

Association for Asian American Studies and Native American and Indigenous Studies Association azurnoir Dec 2013 #7

And what was their connection to Israel before the boycott? former9thward Dec 2013 #8

oh I see your point azurnoir Dec 2013 #9

Those organizations represent all Asians and Native Americans? former9thward Dec 2013 #10

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)

1. This is the number one issue right now.

Reply to Freddie Stubbs (Original post)

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 12:33 PM

Dec 2013

Israel is in a panic at being isolated as a pariah state among nations. The risk of being isolated like racist South Africa is very real. This is having an impact.

Is BDS' campaign against Israel reaching a turning point?

At the height of its military - particularly nuclear - and economic power, Israel is feeling uncharacteristically vulnerable; but this time the threat is ironically coming from a nonviolent movement anchored in international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Last June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu effectively declared the Palestinian-led global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement a "strategic threat" to Israel's regime of occupation, colonisation and apartheid by deciding to assign the overall responsibility for fighting against the BDS to the ministry of strategic affairs.

Building on its global ascendancy, the BDS movement - led by the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society, the BDS National Committee (BNC) - is spreading across the world, scoring significant victories.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/12/bds-campaign-against-israel-reaching-turning-point-201312225320764121.html

The next move will be for congress to pass laws punishing schools that participate in the boycott.

Oren calls on US Congress to quell movement to boycott Israel academically

While Israeli officials played down the significance last week of two US academic associations voting to boycott Israel, former envoy to the US Michael Oren thinks those moves are serious enough to warrant Congressional legislation.

Oren, in an article he wrote Friday for Politico, addressed the boycott by the American Studies Association (ASA) and said that “merely protesting this abhorrent decision will not succeed in reversing it or discouraging other similarly bigoted organizations from following suit. What’s needed is a way to fight back, and Congress can do it.”

Oren said that a “successful precedent” for Congressional action against boycotts against Israel existed: Namely, a series of laws Congress passed in 1977 rendering it illegal for US companies to cooperate with any boycott of Israel, and imposing stiff fines for those who did.

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Oren-calls-on-US-Congress-to-quell-movement-to-boycott-Israel-academically-335715

kelliekat44

(7,759 posts)

2. The anti-apartheid movement worked for SAfrica. But there is fear of loss of funding with this.

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 02:56 PM

Dec 2013

It takes a couple of generations to die out before any "promised land" is entered...remembering Joshua and Caleb. There is still hope that Israel will eventually live up to its promise of setting an example for the world.

former9thward

(32,009 posts)

3. Israel is not in a "panic".

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 03:24 PM

Dec 2013

No one serious is participating in a boycott.

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)

4. Thanks for correcting me.

Reply to former9thward (Reply #3)

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 04:11 PM

Dec 2013

I should have been more specific, the "Israeli government" is in a panic.

They are mobilizing on all fronts to head off this movement.

Mandela's S.Africa boycott success sparks Israel debate

Recent successes in the Palestinian campaign to boycott Jewish settlements have given fresh impetus to calls for sanctions against Israel like those that brought down apartheid in South Africa.

Since the European Union said it would block grants and funding for any Israeli entity operating over the 1967 lines, a growing number of international bodies have taken similar steps to cut ties, in a move that has sparked alarm in Israel.

"This has happened in recent days," commentator Chemi Shalev wrote in the newspaper Haaretz, listing a series of steps as proof that the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement was gaining ground.

"The Dutch water company Vitens severed its ties with Israeli counterpart Mekorot, Canada's largest Protestant church decided to boycott three Israeli companies; the Romanian government refused to send any more construction workers; and American Studies Association academics are voting on a measure to sever links with Israeli universities," he wrote.

The boycott debate has been further stoked by the death on December 5 of Nelson Mandela as the world remembered his life's work in pushing for a global boycott that contributed to bringing down the minority white government of Pretoria.

"It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the BDS movement is picking up speed. And the writing on the wall, if anyone missed it, only got clearer and sharper in the wake of the death of Nelson Mandela," Shalev argued.

http://news.yahoo.com/mandela-39-africa-boycott-success-sparks-israel-debate-050238478.html

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)

5. well thanks for pointing that out

Reply to former9thward (Reply #3)

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 04:50 PM

Dec 2013

it would appear per your comment that Oren is making a rather frivolous request to Congress - seeing as how it's nothing serious

former9thward

(32,009 posts)

6. Name a serious institution that is boycotting Israel.

Reply to azurnoir (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 05:25 PM

Dec 2013

In fact the opposite is happening:

The American Studies Association’s endorsement this month of a boycott of Israeli academic institutions continues to stir passions, with four colleges and universities announcing their withdrawal from the association, a second leading higher-education association denouncing the boycott and a rising tide of college presidents speaking out against it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/27/education/academic-leaders-denounce-israel-boycott.html?hpw&rref=education&_r=0