Jewish groups call on US academic body to reject boycott

Algemeiner 10 May 2023

Over 80 major Jewish organisations spanning the American political spectrum have signed a blistering letter imploring members of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) to reject a resolution proposing an academic boycott of Israeli universities, writes Dion J Pierre for the Algemeiner.

The measure, which accuses Israel of being an apartheid regime and committing crimes against humanity, will be considered via electronic ballot from 15-30 June, according to the website of Anthropologists for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions, a group that supports it. If passed, AAA would become the first major academic professional association to endorse the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement since the Middle East Studies Association did in 2022.

The letter, drafted by the Alliance for Academic Freedom and the Academic Engagement Network, adds that Israeli universities “work hard to foster Arab-Jewish coexistence” on their campuses and foster viewpoint diversity, which, it noted, includes “support for Palestinian voices”. The groups also emphasised that Israeli academics take the lead in criticising Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Full report on the Algemeiner site

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