Research groups criticise ‘discriminatory’ Israel boycotts

The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany has criticised research boycotts of Israel, saying they are “discriminatory”, “misguided” and “counterproductive”, writes David Matthews for Science|Business.

In a statement on 11 June, the body representing university rectors, funding agencies and research networks like the Max Planck Society said it “strongly rejects calls for a boycott of Israeli researchers and Israeli scientific institutions”.

The statement is the latest salvo in an escalating rift in European research over whether to cut academic projects and student exchanges with Israel over the country’s war in Gaza. Israel is a long-standing associated country to Horizon Europe, receiving hundreds of millions of euros from the European Union so far during the research programme. So far, German academia has lined up behind Israel, while in Spain and Belgium universities have gone furthest in severing ties.
Full report on the Science|Business site