Insidious Threat
From the International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom (IAB):
The Idea of a ‘Grey Boycott’ Represents an Insidious Threat to the World of Academia
NATFHE Boycott Resolution passes (106:71)
Ramat Gan, Israel — The International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom (IAB) at Bar-Ilan University today expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) decision to impose a boycott upon all Israeli academics “who do not publicly disassociate themselves from Israeli policies”.
The IAB views the NATFHE resolution as an offense to the universal principle of academic freedom and as counterproductive to the cause of peace and understanding in the Middle East.
IAB Chairman Prof. Yosef Yeshurun, Provost of Bar-Ilan University, said today that “it is unfortunate that NATFHE decided to adopt a negative approach, seeking to burn bridges instead of building them.”
The idea of a ‘grey boycott’ contained within the resolution represents an insidious threat to the world of academia. “Instead of judging academics on merit, academics will be judged according to their nationality and political opinions; The boycott has singled out Israel now, but who knows where it will stop,” said Dr. Jonathan Rynhold from Bar-Ilan University, member of the IAB Executive Committee.
Prof. Gerald Steinberg, Director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Conflict Management and Negotiation and a member of the IAB executive committee added that “Such political actions both fuel the Arab-Israeli conflict, and destroy the academic process, since we will no longer be able to trust the objectivity and professional detachment of academics who are involved in “silent boycotts”, the journals they edit, and the peer review processes in which they participate”.
The International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom (IAB), Bar Ilan University is an international organization, consisting of hundreds of scholars of different nationalities, religions and political perspectives. The common denominator of all IAB members is their defense of the universal principle of academic freedom.
The IAB calls on all British scholars and international scientific organizations to expand scientific relations with Israeli scientists.
The IAB remains firmly committed to the free exchange of ideas and hereby commits itself to continued vigilance in the struggle to maintain the free interchange of ideas, and to oppose with all the resources at its command this and any further steps that threaten reduce academic freedom.
The IAB sends its deep appreciation and gratitude to all those, in Israel and around the world, who gave so unstintingly of their time and energy to help try to persuade the NATFHE to reject its motion. “Despite the failure of our combined efforts, we have managed to create a significant awareness of the deep flawed and biased nature of the NATFHE proposal, and are therefore certain that the last word on the boycott has yet to be said,” concluded Prof. Yeshurun.
