Jerusalem, June 10, 2007 - Strong opposition to the boycott resolution passed recently by the University and College Union in Britain was voiced here today by the British minister of higher education, Bill Rammell.
Speaking at a meeting with the press and students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rammell said that "a boycott is fundamentally wrong," and that "I hope my visit here sends a strong message of the views of the British government and people" in rejection of the concept of a boycott of Israeli higher educational institutions and academics, as was expressed in the UCU resolution.
Rammell said that he was a firm believer in the globalization of higher education, in which colleges and universities serve to bring together people from various nationalities. An academic boycott, he said, was the direct opposite of that. Rammell said he was convinced that "the vast majority of academics in Britain oppose a boycott"; despite the resolution passed by the UCU.
In his remarks at the session, Hebrew University President Prof. Menachem Magidor said the Hebrew University treasures its many academic interchanges with British academic institutions. He further stated that the Hebrew University has and will continue contacts in many areas with Palestinian researchers and other Arab academics, and that "I hope short-sighted and narrow-minded people will not hinder our efforts."
Magidor also made reference to a statement issued two years ago in London by himself and Sari Nusseibeh, the president of Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem, in which the two stated their opposition to any boycotts and called for continuation of cooperative efforts.
Also appearing at the Hebrew University event was Yuli Tamir, Israeli minister of education, who expressed her appreciation to Minister Rammell for coming to Israel at this time to strengthen the ties between Israeli and British higher education. Tamir took the opportunity to thank the British government for its "clear statement" and "absolute rejection" of a boycott.
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