British lecturers meet to vote on Israeli academic boycott
{{date|May 26, 2005}}

Lecturers have overturned a controversial boycott of two [[Israel]]i universities at a special council meeting in central London. The universities, Bar-Ilan and Haifa universities, were boycotted for alleged complicity with anti-Palestinian policies.

Around sixty Jewish students and supporters from the National Union of Students gathered outside the meeting to protest the boycott. The day passed peacefully with a large police and security presence.

The boycott, passed by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) in April, split academics, filled education news sections and caused debate around the world. 

Speaking at a press conference after the vote, Dr David Hirsh of Goldsmiths College, London, said: "This has not been a victory for Ariel Sharon, the settlers or the [separation] wall. It has been a victory for the cultural, democratic spaces where Jewish and Palestinians study side by side rather than demonising each other."

He added: "There has got to be a mass movement for a just peace."

==Sources==
* {{source|title= Lecturers overturn Israel boycott
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4582955.stm
|author=
|pub=BBC
|date=Thursday, 26 May, 2005, 15:20 GMT 16:20 UK}}
* {{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4580475.stm Lecturers vote on Israeli boycott
|title=Lecturers vote on Israel boycott
|author=
|pub=BBC
|date=Wednesday, 25 May, 2005, 23:39 GMT 00:39 UK}}
* {{source|title=Lecturers to go second round on Israeli boycott |url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,9959,1492083,00.html
|author=Liz Ford
|pub=The Guardian
|date=Thursday May 26, 2005}}
* [http://www.biu.ac.il/rector/academic_freedom/ Statement from Bar-Ilan university]
* [http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1201 Statement from the AUT]
* [http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,9959,1492431,00.html West Bank college benefits from boycott]

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[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Education]]
[[Category:Haifa]]
[[Category:London]]
[[Category:Palestine]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
Lecturers have overturned a controversial boycott of two Israeli universities at a special council meeting in central London. The universities, Bar-Ilan and Haifa universities, were boycotted for alleged complicity with anti-Palestinian policies.

Around sixty Jewish students and supporters from the National Union of Students gathered outside the meeting to protest the boycott. The day passed peacefully with a large police and security presence.

The boycott, passed by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) in April, split academics, filled education news sections and caused debate around the world. 

Speaking at a press conference after the vote, Dr David Hirsh of Goldsmiths College, London, said: "This has not been a victory for Ariel Sharon, the settlers or the separation wall. It has been a victory for the cultural, democratic spaces where Jewish and Palestinians study side by side rather than demonising each other."

He added: "There has got to be a mass movement for a just peace."
United Kingdom Politics and conflicts Israel Education Haifa London Palestine Middle East