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Say no to 'Israeli Science Day' at our Science Museums

Mark Krantz, Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition | 20.02.2009 22:55 | Anti-racism | Culture | Social Struggles | South Coast

The Zionist Federation of Britain, a pro-Israel lobby group, wants to hold an "Israeli Science Day" at the Science Museums in Manchester and London.

The Stop the War Coalition and activists in the UCU union in Manchester are mobilising to stop this insulting event from happen at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (Mosi).





The aim of this event is to promote the work of seven Israeli universities. Tel Aviv university is the most prominent institution featured. Its most recent annual review boasts of "playing a major role in enhancing Israel's security capabilities and military edge".

Israel's top army lawyer, who drew up the legal justifications for the recent bombing of Gaza, has just got a job teaching Law at Tel Aviv University. Along with the generals and politicians who ordered the bombing, she stands accused war crimes.

An open letter calling for the event to be canceled is drawing widespread support. It states, "We believe that confidence in our museums as public institutions would be damaged if our Science Museum allowed itself to be seen as giving a platform to promote "Israeli interests", rather than "scientific" interests.

Alan Tyldesley, a scientist who works on preventing fires, has signed the letter. "I hold a science degree, and for the last 30 years have worked to use my science and engineering knowledge in the pursuit of safety at work," he said.

"I am always dismayed when science is used to progress the design of weapons and military hardware. After the Israelis used their hi-tech army against Gaza, anyone with any humanity can only recall in horror. We should not publicise Israeli science in such a way in Manchester."

Mark Krantz, Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition
- Homepage: http://www.manchesterstopwar.org

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Some generic comments to STW

20.02.2009 23:52

Albeit this is a good idea, I am afraid that Stop The War has totally lost its focus (unsurprisingly from those "gatekeepers") on the war waged by the UK on Iraq.

If you look into it a bit you find out that what the Israeli are doing to the Palestinians is not as bad yet as what the UK has done/is doing to lraq, however bad it looks...

I mean the Israelis haven't killed one 20th of the palestinian population for example.

They haven't replaced the legitimate governments of the palestinians by a puppet government who hangs the old one.

Etc...

To me, at this stage, the Israeli just still look like schoolboys who try their best to copy their teachers the US and the UK are when it comes to the crimes they commit.

Food for thoughts and action I hope.

Tony Blair is future EU president I have heard btw...

Bliar as you used to call him in case you don't remember...

The scum murdered me and one million or more of my people.

Saddam Hussein

Israeli Science day is a great idea

21.02.2009 11:27

You never know when our kids might need to know how to develop a covert nuclear weapons stockpile.

MonkeyBot 5000

Always dismayed

22.02.2009 17:47

So scientist Alan Tyldesly is 'always dismayed when science is used to progress the design of weapons and military hardware.'

Really? I wonder what else alawys dismays Mr Tyldesly. That the sun rises every morning or that it goes dark at night?

Most people are not that surprised that science is used to develop military hardware. Thousands of science graduates enter the UK arms industry every year, and without the earnings from the UK arms industry there'd be a lot fewer UK universities. Academia and the arms industry are mutually dependent.


Pete