Economic Links with Israel Worth Only 0.1% of UK GDP

A report commissioned by the Britain-Israel Communications and Research Centre (Bicom), a leading ‘promoter’ (of Israeli propaganda), shows little damage to the UK economy if an academic boycott were to take place.  Its a huge glaring error on their part.  Although the report says ‘the proportion of UK GDP accounted for by economic links with Israel is small — £1.7 billion is just 0.1 per cent of UK GDP’ Jonathan Hoffman (whose credentials are vague) claims this ‘grossly underestimates the loss.’  According to him, not the report, other institutions globally would start to boycott the UK universities.  I’m not sure what the evidence of this is?  I doubt any large scale boycott would happen and this seems more like a scare story now that the report has been a positive result for those in favour of a boycott.

Even asking the question of the cost is ridiculous in the first place.  When we ended slavery a similar argument of economic loss was presented, similarly with child labour and I’m sure the same happened when the UK boycotted South Africa under Apartheid.  It’s always been a disgusting argument and always will be.  We should not support oppression no matter what the financial benefit.  The UCU is correct to confront Israeli oppression especially when extends into the Palestinian education system.

A leading economist has said that the UK economy and employment in Britain would suffer badly in the event of an academic boycott of Israel.

Commenting on a new report highlighting the financial impact on Britain if last year’s aborted academic boycott against Israel had gone ahead, Jonathan Hoffman, who has worked for the Bank of England and other major financial institutions, said: “The UK economy would suffer in the event of a hypothetical academic boycott.