Dear Charlie Owen,

Please find attached, for your information:
- the responses from the spokespeaple of Haifa, Jerusalem, and Bar-Ilan universities.
- the joint response of the The Inter-Senate Committee of the Israeli Universities for the defence of Academic Freedom
- an opinion article by Douglas Davis, from the spectator

You may also find this article informative:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112668198058

Even before commenting on the content of the motions, I find several issues disturbing:
1. Item 55A.1 specifically moves AGAINST constructive dialogue. This does not carry the flavour of a peace seeking act. Even if the AUT votes for a boycott, it should have the decency to face Israeli academics and explain its position.
2. The proposers had not gone to the trouble of asking the accused parties for their response. I don't believe that this is the model of justice that the AUT wants to promote in the middle east.

As for the idea of the boycott, I suggest we take Afghanistan and Iraq as an examples. Boycotts enforced quite vigorously by institutions much more powerful than the AUT had the sole effect of harming the innocent, without the slightest effect on government policies in those countries.
I also find it quite odd that the boycott resurfaces in a period in which we witness first signs of reconciliation and reestablishment of Israeli - Palestinian dialogue.

If the AUT wants to contribute to peace and justice in the middle east, I suggest it does so by constructively supporting local initiatives, such as:
http://www.machsomwatch.org/
http://www.taayush.org/
http://www.ipcri.org/
http://www.m-e-e-t.org/

I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

best,

- Yishay

Charlie Owen wrote:

-----Original Message-----
From: Yishay Mor Sent: 18 April 2005 03:56 PM
To: Charlie Owen
Subject: Re: AUT - European & international affairs

thank you. could you outline your position on these motions? are you aware of the responses made by the three accused universities?

My intention, on the basis of what I have read, is to vote for the
motions, although I shall of course listen to all the arguments for and
against at the council meeting.

I am not aware of any responses by the universities.

Charlie Owen.
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