Press Release: Wednesday 18th July 2007
New European Union agreement signed despite calls for an Israeli academic boycott
Israel has this week signed a new European Union agreement that allows the nation's universities to take part in a new six-year research programme. This is despite a commitment by the University and College Union (UCU) to campaign against the funding package.
As part of its pro-boycott policy, UCU's annual Congress voted to "campaign for ... a moratorium on research and cultural collaborations with Israel via EU and European Science Foundation".
However, by joining the Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7), worth £34bn, Israel and the EU have successfully avoided this potential threat to such collaborations.
Israel will be a key player in the FP7 agreement, being the only nation outside the EU participating in a major public-private research partnership to develop green air transport to be funded under the programme.
Jeremy Newmark, Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, said:
"The signing of the FP7 agreement clearly demonstrates how out of touch those who support the boycott are with the majority of the academic
community. The agreement illustrates the desire of scientists from all over the world to work together regardless of any political agenda.
Regardless of UCU policy and noise from the pro-boycott camp, it is increasingly clear that the academic community won't give the time of day to moves to curtail academic freedom"
Notes for editors
1. The Stop the Boycott campaign is being sponsored by BICOM and the Fair Play Campaign Group.
Please contact Jeremy Lucas, Press Officer at BICOM on 0207 636 5500 for any further information.
Our website is www.stoptheboycott.org
2. The decision by the recent University and College Union conference to consider a boycott of Israeli universities has been widely condemned by politicians of all parties, trade unionists, Palestinian groups, media, and academics.
In response, "Stop the Boycott" has been formed. We are a bespoke coalition of academics, Jewish and non-Jewish groups across the UK who have come together to counter the UCU's decision.
3. Our message to the UCU is simple: the boycott is bad for academic freedom, bad for the Palestinians and bad for peace.
4. Under the banner of the Fair Play Campaign Group (FPCG), this campaign is being driven by the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM) and the Jewish Activities Committee (JAC). This campaign is supported by:
- Trade Union Friends of Israel (TUFI)
- Union of Jewish Students (UJS)
- The Board of Deputies (BOD)
- Labour Friends of Israel (LFI)
- Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI)
- Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel (LDFI)
- The Friends of Hebrew University (FHU)
- The Zionist Federation (ZF), and many others.
