Irish Try to Boycott Israel Again

In another shocking development in what is fast appearing as a global trend of anti-zionism, a number of Irish academics have agreed to boycott Israeli Universities and Academics. More than sixty Irish professors and lecturers have signed an open letter to the EU requesting that it cease financial support and all payments (incuding cooperation) with Israeli universities and academics.

First published in the popular Irish Times in September, the Irish are also pressing academics globally to unite against what they term "Israel's policy of violent repression against the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, and its aggression against the people of Lebanon". Teaching staff representing every Irish University have lent their name to this ludicrously anti-zionist document.

In the letter, carefully drafted to avoid a sense of anti-semitism, the Irish are quoted as:

"We call for a moratorium on any further such support to Israeli academic institutions, at both national and European levels. We urge our fellow academics to support this moratorium by refraining, where possible, from further joint collaborations with Israeli academic institutions."

The letter ends with the ultimatum to Israel "Such a moratorium should continue until Israel abides by UN resolutions and ends the occupation of Palestinian territories."

This action is worrying and should be condemmed by all for the following reasons:

1. Israeli universities let alone its teaching staff cannot be held accountable to the policies of its government regardless of right or wrong.

2. Universities are not a global police force of democracy or human rights.

3. The Irish are not the enforcers of the UN for its often wildly unbalanced resolutions

4. The letter fails to mention any background to Israels actions, not does it make any effort to condemn terrorism in its ugly incarnation in the Palestinian culture.

This open letter is the 4th attempt by Irish academics to boycott Israeli universities. Last year members of the Association of University Teachers voted to cease all cooperation with Haifa and Bar Ilan universities, and in earlier this year, the NAT attempted to pass a similar resolution amongst its members.

It is surely time for the world to speak up against this academic racism. In America we are seeing similar oubursts by scholars and so called teachers. Are we paying tax to have our children indoctrinated by terrorist sympathisers / virilant anti-semites? This leftist policy of indoctrination must end, we must institute a fair and balanced curriculum of debate and discussion and avoid this wilful posture of antagonism.