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jackslucid | 04.06.2007 11:08 | Education | Palestine | Social Struggles

A few words upon the issue of boycots

Its one way, I suppose!
Its one way, I suppose!


Following the attempt of British academics to exercise both their rights and their conscience, the zionist war machine rolls on ...

excert:

Any country that boycotts Israel or any Israeli products will have all of its imports to Israel tagged with stickers reading, "This country is involved in an anti-Israel boycott," if a bill to be submitted by MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) on Monday becomes law.

"When we are boycotted, we should respond in kind. When we are isolated by a country, we should isolate them in return," Schneller said Sunday.

The MK drafted the legislation in response to a recent series of anti-Israel boycott calls by organizations in the United Kingdom.

 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1180867542263&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

... FINE.

Go ahead, show us how deeply, pervasive and overarching your inroads and controls over our economy, political & media are ... think you can bully us to avoid looking into the cesspit you have created willfully in Palestine.

...

Here is the latest from the UCU:

Delegates at the inaugural UCU congress voted this afternoon in favour of a motion calling for 'the full text of the Palestinian boycott call to all branches for information and discussion'.

The delegates earlier overwhelmingly (just one vote against) voted to accept the recommendations of a report from a body set up in the fallout of the 2005 decision by AUT to impose an academic boycott of Israel.

That interim report accepted by the union this afternoon says: 'The commission believes, after careful consideration, and noting that we are not capable of policing the academic world in a pro-active way, that triggers for actions leading to greylisting and boycott can only result from a request from a legitimate organisation within the state, or within the occupied territory or institution in question. Legitimate organisations would include a trade union movement, a recognised higher education union or other representative organisation. Exceptionally, a decision to impose greylisting or boycotting might be taken following consultation with Education International in circumstances where legitimate organisations cannot be lawfully established within the state or institutions in question, or in circumstances where institutions or branches of institutions, are established in territories under unlawful occupation as defined by UN resolutions.

'It is recognised that this is a difficult area. We are aware of great wrongs being committed throughout the world against colleagues in other countries. But there is always a balance to be drawn between boycotting and damaging those colleagues in the hope that the state will address the harm that it is inflicting on academia, and the harm that the boycott itself inflicts on academia.'

Responding to the votes this afternoon, UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'As I have made clear in the past, and as I reiterated on the floor of congress this morning, I do not believe a boycott is supported by the majority of UCU members, nor do I believe that members see it is a priority for the union.

'Today's motion on boycott means all branches now have a responsibility to consult all of their members on the issue and I believe that every member should have the opportunity to have their say. The earlier motion means that any future calls for a boycott must pass key tests before a boycott can implemented.'

 http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2595

Sally Hunt can 'believe' what she likes, the proof is in the votes already taken and those that will follow (assuming that they are fair and accurate - not a taken when zionists get involved).

...

Finally, someone bizzarly refered to as a 'Harvard legal expert' foams at the mouth and spews forth hatred and ignorance:

A top American lawyer has threatened to wage a legal war against British academics who seek to cut links with Israeli universities.

Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor renowned for his staunch defence of Israel and high-profile legal victories, including his role in the O.J. Simpson trial, vowed to "devastate and bankrupt" lecturers who supported such boycotts.

This week's annual conference of Britain's biggest lecturers' union, the University and College Union, backed a motion damning the "complicity of Israeli academia in the occupation [of Palestinian land]".

It also obliged the union's executive to encourage members to "consider the moral implications of existing and proposed links with Israeli academic institutions".

Prof Dershowitz said he had started work on legal moves to fight any boycott.

He told the Times Higher Educational Supplement that these would include using a US law - banning discrimination on the basis of nationality - against UK universities with research ties to US colleges. US academics might also be urged to accept honorary posts at Israeli colleges in order to become boycott targets.

"I will obtain legislation dealing with this issue, imposing sanctions that will devastate and bankrupt those who seek to impose bankruptcy on Israeli academics," he told the journal.

Sue Blackwell, a UCU activist and member of the British Committee for Universities of Palestine, said: "This is the typical response of the Israeli lobby which will do anything to avoid debating the real issue - the 40-year occupation of Palestine." Jewish groups have attacked the UCU vote, which was opposed by Sally Hunt, its general secretary.

 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/56cb5b92-10a7-11dc-96d3-000b5df10621.html

Just how this increasingly marginalised attack dog will 'obtain legislation' is not clear, but perhaps he has friends in high places.

Still, we had the same sort of bluff and nonsense when South Africa was involved in its titanic struggle for freedom, justice and peace ... with the noose tightning around the neck of zionism it's no wonder the guilty are begining to squirm uncomfortably as they attempt to wriggle out of the spotlight those fighting for Palestine are putting them under.

jackslucid
- e-mail: jackslucid@hotmail.com

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