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The boycutt of Israeli researchers and academSaturday 13 Apr 2002
author: Israel Abu Ali
Efforts are under way by leading academic figures in Europe and the United states of America to boycutt Israeli researchers and academic institutions,though it is not clear to me which .One American said why I have to pay from my taxes to support an academic conference in Israel calling for the expolsion of Palistinians.This idiot i presume makes generalization without presenting any evidence that US taxes had funded this particular conference.However,I must admit here that these people who are calling for boycutt come from the top minds and they have strong arguments that I do not know how to respond to.However,I believe that the Israeli University should not be antagonized and converted to enemy because one disagrees with Prime Minister Mr Sharon.These are men of ideas,not of guns.Israeli professors should be asked to pursue the ideal of the university by means other than boycutt,in my opinion.I am afraid that there is lack of the spirit of trust in the academia as being merely political,or just like a factory in the occupied lands that sell goods to the outside world.I keep in mind that there is no ground for Israeli professors to discuss thier role in bringing peace,and thus lack common opinin or no way to know thier public opinion,or to use an Arab expression we do not street opinion.But one must keep in mind that are Israeli professors in some of these resarch instituitions that may be able, provided there is contacts to infulence policy makers,or at least there is a hope.