UCU Passes Palestine Motions

The UCU has passed its 3 motions in favour of solidarity with Palestine (that also question links with Israeli academic institutions) by an overwhelming majority [I hear it was 250 to 30 but I've yet to have this confirmed].  To read the motions in full see Lenin’s Tomb, for one of the better articles on the topic look to the Guardian and if you want to laugh (or cry depending) try reading the rantings of that well known loon Melanie Philips (whose article is titled ‘The Universities Witch-hunt Against The Jews’).  Below is the UCU Press release.

On a rather different note its interesting how groups like Stop the Boycott, the Israeli media etc are only interested in academic freedom in defence of the state of Israel and not when that state is silencing critics such as Norman Finkelstein.  Finkelstein was recently arrested by the Israeli authorities when trying to visit the occupied Palestinian Territories (not Israel) and was deported back to the US without any outcry.  This is an example of how Palestinian academic life is interfered with: as visitors to their Universities can be refused, travel of Palestinian academics abroad can be denied and travel internally is often blocked by checkpoints.  Finkelstein’s case is just another example of how academic freedom is only important when it serves Israel not Palestine.

Delegates at the University and College Union (UCU) congress this afternoon (Wednesday) reaffirmed their commitment to helping international colleagues denied the freedoms they enjoy. A series of motions called for greater links and solidarity with trade unionists from Darfur, Zimbabwe, Palestine and Burma. Delegates debated the Palestinian motion at length and passed one which supported solidarity with Palestinian academics and did not call for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

Commenting on the motions passed this afternoon, Sally Hunt said: “Delegates in Manchester for UCU congress this week have the freedom to debate a whole host of issues. They can do this without worrying about being arrested, beaten and even killed. There are trade unionists around the world that are not so fortunate and we must never take our freedom to debate, whatever the issue, for granted.

Bring Back the Word Boycott!

Bring back the word boycott!  As far as I recall the legal advice was based on the opinion of one rather dubious individual…

This is the time of year when Jews in Britain have learnt to anticipate an anti-Israel boycott at the annual conference of the University and College Union, Britain’s largest trade union and professional association for lecturers, researchers and academic-related staff.

This year follows the pattern, with the UCU suggesting that its individual members “consider the moral and political implications of educational links with Israeli institutions and to discuss the occupation with individuals and institutions concerned, including Israeli colleagues with whom they are collaborating.”

The word “boycott” is not mentioned in the draft motions for the UCU conference, which also ask for “personal testimonies” from members who visited the Palestinian territories in January as part of a trade union delegation. That is likely to be because last year the union received advice from its lawyers that its attempts to impose a boycott were unlawful.

The union’s propositions are part of an ongoing effort to isolate and condemn Israeli universities, organizations and academics. Not all members of the union, which represents more than 120,000 academics, support these attempts. There are credible grounds for believing that the union is being manipulated by a group of left-wing activists.

Jeremy Newmark of the Stop the Boycott Campaign said that “the president and general secretary have allowed a situation to emerge in which UCU’s policy is decided by the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. In the face of its own legal advice, it is shameful that UCU would press ahead with a discredited and discriminatory policy.”