In response to the call of the University and
College Union of the UK for consideration of a boycott of Israeli
universities, I wish to state my clear disapproval of such a move. An
academic boycott conflicts with the free exchange of ideas and research that
is central to the mission of universities, and violates the principle of
academic freedom. Such action might be justifiable in response to a state's
action which stripped its universities of academic freedom, and to
complicity in such action on the part of its university administrations and
faculty. Clearly, complexities and ambiguities surround empirical arguments
of this kind, as recent discussion in the Senate of Simon Fraser University
has indicated. However, whatever one's position on other issues in that
county or region, I do not believe that such criticisms can be made of the
state of Israel, and Israeli universities share our commitment to the
fundamental value of academic freedom. I call for all who subscribe to this
value to oppose the proposed boycott of Israeli universities.