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Britain slams Israel academic boycott
Moran Zelikovich
Published: 29.05.06, 19:46
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60 Talkbacks for this article
1. Regret? Did he say, "Regret"?
Reuven Brauner ,   Raanana, Israel   (05.29.06)
"British Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman said his office regrets the decision. "We regret today's decision ..."" Dear Lord Triesman, "Regret" is not a term denoting condemnation. The term you should have used was "condemn". I regret your choice of terms. Reuven Brauner
2. Does Yuli Tamir look like she is giving the finger? hahaha
(05.29.06)
3. LET's admit it...
gabriela ben ari ,   jerusalem   (05.29.06)
It was the vast amounts of leftist academics who relayed on to Europe a strong antisemitic, antiisraeli propaganda throughout the world. They "glorified" themselves explaining how different and modern and cultural and enlightened they were. . . How much they ill spoke of the army ?... all this while our neighbours were bleeding their final breaths bomb after bomb. It disgusted me. It disgusted me to hear a jew being such an antisemite, not aknowlleging we are all in the boat. Why drill a hole on one end? NOW they realize the boat is sinking, and allas! they too have the same destiny... Ve hem tzrihim leechol otah
4. Dear Israelis, Please wake-up
Guest ,   Ramallah, Palestine   (05.29.06)
When friends of you in Canada and Britain start doing that, you have to stop and think about your policies regarding the Palestinians, the world will never shut his eyes forever. You have to wake up from your drunk of power. The power is not enough to stand against ethics and the Palestinian rights to live in peace in their home land.
5. Boycott of Israel
Connie ,   USA   (05.29.06)
McCarthyism. Joseph McCarthy was a Republican senator from the state of Wisconsin in the 1950's. He was investigating Communist activities in the goverment. My how has name has spread. To the story at hand. This soundslike the the leftist National Education Association here in the U.S. The union members support the Democrats and their left-wing policies so let them boycott all they want. Good riddence.
6. anti-Semitic
pedro ,   germany   (05.29.06)
fanatic jews have always one answer for people who criticise Israeli agressions (anti-Semitic). this is non-sense and somehow insane
7. Not enough
Francois ,   Paris   (05.29.06)
Condemning this boycott is not enough. The fact is these teachers are funded by British taxpayers, e.g. British governement, as a consequence, this is a kind of state anti-Semitism. Israeli officials should ask the British government to fire these anti-Semitic thugs.
8. When friends of you in Canada and Britain
(05.29.06)
friends of you, not of us
9. These "academics"
Jennifer ,   Tel Aviv   (05.29.06)
Any True academic would never sign something like this as all real academic are supposed to be trained in objectivity and should know not to allow their personal preferences interfere with legitimateacademic research and contributions. Shame on them and their proffesion.
10. #4British effendis not our friends.What you smoking?
Alan ,   SA   (05.29.06)
11. Einstein's will
Caligula's Horse ,   Solomon's Stables   (05.29.06)
According to Einstein's will, all of his researches are property of the Hebrew university of Jerusalem, if they are shunning Jewish, err, Israeli, universities this means that they cant use Einstein's theory of relativity, lets see how far their physics department gets without being able to use E=MC2.
12. To Pedro
NYC Girl   (05.29.06)
Far from being a fanatic Jew, I'm an atheist and I'm going to tell you that the boycott is absolutely anti-Semitic. As long as Israel is singled out from among countries which include some of the worst human rights violaters on the planet, then the boycott is anti-Semitic. And, frankly, I think the real insanity is on the part of someone like you who's being blinded by racism and a total lack of knowledge of the facts.
13. Boycott
David ,   Canada   (05.29.06)
I looked everywhere at BBC News website and there is not one article mentioning about the academic boycott! Hummm! I wonder why?
14. #11 hahahahaha
gabriela ben ari ,   jerusalem israel   (05.29.06)
15. Pedro, where are you really from?
Jacob Field ,   ma fish falastin   (05.29.06)
Pedro or should I say Herr Pieter, how typically German of you. Who are you to dictate to Jews who we are, what offends us, and where we belong?  Those days are over, little Adolf. And who are you to decide what land is "Palestinian land"? That's a joke. The Arabs were offered land and refused their offer in 1948 and attacked Israel in a pre-meditated war of barbaric aggression. Arabs chose war. Arabs suffer the consequences. It is not citizenship Arabs want, but a reactionary vision that would erase the "nakba" of Israel's creation by eliminating the legitimate Jewish state. It is Palestinian rejection of Israel's right to exist and not Israeli policies that are the cause of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Furthermore, there is no law on earth that requires the Jewish people to accept the revision of their history nor their own demise merely because you say we should. Your grievous days of shoving us in ovens to our deaths are way over.
16. British Hypocrisy knows no end
(05.29.06)
They boycott Israeli Academia yet decided to support Palestinian Academia whose textbooks are anti-semetic. Let's see if they will hold a vote to boycott Palestinian professors who approve of suicide bombers.
17. Academic boycott small fry
Miss Muslima ,   London, England UK   (05.29.06)
"I looked everywhere at BBC News website and there is not one article mentioning about the academic boycott! Hummm! I wonder why? " because it's not considered big news here. Nor is the other boycott that CUPE is arranging, (Canada)
18. is it new??????????
J Smith   (05.29.06)
teachers' union = leftist = pro-palestinian wow a = b = c a = c teachers = pro palestinian
19. Why do arabs post talkbacks headed "wake up"?
gabriela ben ari   (05.29.06)
Stam it just makes me laugh, I've met this phrase in every second posting, whether in the headline or during comment Did anyone notice? May be they wake up as early as the sun. Sorry kind of late ...now. Speaking nonsense ;-)
20. With a little help from Jews I
Salomon S Mizrahi ,   Sao Carlos/SP/Brazil   (05.30.06)
Obviously, this kind of anti-Israeli motion is covering a latent anti-Semitism and is not coming from void. On the first line of attack we find the Islamic and Arab phalanx (it is exactly what, we Jews, should have to expect, although many of us forget or don’t want to face reality, that they are waging a war on us). On the second line, we will find gentiles, Christians or atheists, this phalanx possesses an inherent dislike of Jews and/or Israel, either because they still believe that the Jews killed the Christ, or because they assume they stole the land from poor natives, or even because the Jews have “too much influence” in the world affairs and are responsible for the war in Iraq, they are the neo-con, bla, bla, bla,…But, these two phalanxes do gather intelligence on Jewish affairs and essential support from a special kind of Jews, the self-hate Jews, the third phalanx. The first two get and use the third; because they provide valuable information to justify criticism and action on their war against the Jews. The third phalanx is the fuel of “modern anti-Semitism”, born in the academe…It is not a traditional anti-Semitism, it is disguised as anti-Israelism and anti-Zionism. They have members in many countries, ideologically and politically they are aligned with the “left”, no matter what it really means…it is a pathological state of mind…Names? Well, the list is quite big and its members do not hide, they are all quite prominent, they are easily identified, most likely, the living emperor of the third phalanx is N. Chomsky.
21. 6 Peter germany: The fanatic haters are YOU -we remember
Gabrielle Goldwater ,   Geneva Switzerland   (05.30.06)
those kind of talks - you sound just like the 30's talk - we were then also told that they only critized us but were NOT anti-Semitic Gee you fit that german picture to the last word - what next - you are going to tell us HEIL - I am your Fuehrer why do you each time only come here to spew anti Israel slogans - disguised in just what you call simple little words You are the new Bug in the Rug - that would run the streets to praise the Neo-Nazis
22. Look at the Brits:20 jihad terror plots revealed
Gabrielle Goldwater ,   Geneva Switzerland   (05.30.06)
MI5 at full stretch as 20 jihad terror plots revealed ........... Good old British homegrown terror growing: But I bet you ££££ they will NOT boycott Islamic Jihadists - No rather peaceful Jews - that could teach them a lesson or two http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-2200246,00.html TWENTY “major conspiracies” by Islamist terrorists in Britain have been uncovered by the security services, John Reid, the home secretary, has disclosed. Reid said that the existence of so many plots means that the police and MI5 are fully stretched and cannot divert their precious counter-terrorism resources to a lengthy public inquiry into last year’s London suicide bombings. Reid revealed the existence of the plots — far more than have previously been reported — at a meeting with some of the victims’ relatives and survivors of the attacks last week. He failed to give further details but the claim appears to fit in with briefings by MI5 which suggest that as many as 1,200 potential terrorist suspects may now be in the UK.
23. muslims bombed bus & underground sites, NOT Jews, remember?
Bunnie Meyer ,   Santa Monica, CA   (05.30.06)
24. #11 ROFLMAO EXCELLENT.
howard ,   pacific coast, usa   (05.30.06)
Also Israeli Nobel laureates and the thousands of other Israeli researchers who are doing important work in their fields.
25. Notice which groups are doing this. It's important.
howard ,   pacific coast, usa   (05.30.06)
The groups that are doing this are typically leftist groups within leftist unions. They are frustrated that nobody listens to them anymore about economic matters. They see that they have no power at all to make a difference in Iraq or in other parts of the world. In consequence, they are especially hungry for a target on which they can vent their frustration, and Jews are the fashionable target right now. After all, they think we control the media. (LMAO) They are also -- just as important -- hungry to make a statement that is relevant to someone, that will get them attention and bolster their leftist credentials. Jews actually listen, and most of us take such attacks seriously and try to engage in reasonable discussion. Other potential target groups are not so fashionable because they either don't take such attacks seriously, or become violent when criticized, or call you a racist. Well, Jews do note the blatant Anti-Semitism of these groups, but then much of the Arab/Muslim world defends these groups, so they get to call themselves victims instead of admitting that they simply hate Jews and love attention. It is clear that leftist hold-overs from the Cold War and Palestinian activists are approaching such frustrated groups and aiming them at "the evil Jews." It would be moderately sensible to make sure that there are pro-Israel stances that these groups could take and still keep their leftist credentials nice and shiny. It would be helpful if someone came up with a name for such a stance, so that the stance could be marketed more effectively (the anti-Semites are blathering on about Israel being an Apartheid state, which is not even remotely true and going on about their approach, which is "Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions"). Maybe Israel's Labour party could even be useful in that respect. I do agree with #17. I think most Brits simply don't care about a bunch of fringe guys. Frankly that's a good thing, because it deprives these fringe fanatics of the attention they crave.
26. 1. Boycott Britain, 2. U.S. accademics next
Julia ,   USA   (05.30.06)
#1. Boycot- England. No Jew, or for that matter, human, with a conscience, should travel to Britain, buy British products, or colaborate with British accademics. #2. Watch out- it's not just British or European accademics who are anti-Israel. Check out the American accademic world whose humanistic inclinations (actually commendable when put to positive use) have been hoodwinked by Palestinian/Arab propaganda, Saudi money poured into universities, and the American far left using language refering to oppression, occupation, etc. Remember what happened at Columbia, and the anti-Israel rallies at other universities. And- then of course, there is Chomsky, et. al. More accademic Israel boycot proposals to follow.
27. to 18 and 20
Marcel,Abel ,   Thoiry, France   (05.30.06)
18) As a former teacher I regret to tell you that I am not a leftist. Neither am I a hater of mankind. I just try hard to be good, sincere and pleasant. It is my polite way to ask you : are you a miserable so-and-so, or most probably a sad and embittered person ? I don't know. Life cannot be reduced to a simple equation : that would denote a very simple-minded attitude. I am sure you have adopted much higher standards. So please get up, look around, be just and love your fellowcitizens. 20)... « gentiles, Christians or atheists, this phalanx possesses an inherent dislike of Jews and/or Israel, ... » Your so surprising assertion relies on no evidence : "inherent dislike". What is even more surprising is that it gives me ample opportunity to affirm that, as a true Christian, I love you in the Lord for writing it. All Jews are my brothers in the faith - please remember what Jew-baiting means - and many non-Jews as well. You have categorized people according to sophisticated, but somewhat contradictory, unrealistic criteria. Mine are more simple : God's commandments. Following them is a tried and tested remedy for replacing hate with love. « O God, you know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from you »» « You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you. » Psalm 69 « For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." » Psalm 122
28. Hooray for Justice; Hooray for Peace!
Ellen Prescott ,   Southsea, Hampshire   (05.30.06)
I just got back from Monte Carlo , and I am ecstatic to find out that the boycott of supporters of Apartheid has been initiated! We shall, like we did with South Africa, fight against the discrimination, racism, and murderous hatred espoused by the Apartheid supporters in Israel. We in Britain do not turn a blind eye to discrimination, like the Americans do. This is a day that makes me proud to be a former professor and to be married to one. Israel - end your racist policies and we'll end our boycott. Simple as that.
29. to # 28
Chuck ,   usa   (05.30.06)
Since you was a professor, I assume you are smart enough to realize your head is up your ass.
30. Hooray for Ellen Prescott, a "professor" who never published
Christopher ,   UK   (05.30.06)
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