Unfortunately, the UCU are not interested in truth or in academic freedom or in freedom at all. It's clear what interests them. Dr. Nusseibeh has likewise done the right thing in this matter. I do fault MK Raleb Majadele for not FORCEFULLY AND PUBLICLY speaking out against this boycott, and I fault Olmert & Livni for not making this point very clear in the media. The boycott directly harms Majadele's Science portfolio, giving him clear justification for taking a strong position. And by opposing the boycott forcefully and publicly, he would likely cut the legs from under it and make its proponents look like the hypocritical extremists that they truly are. Anyway, Mr. Hanifes, thank *YOU* for taking direct personal action to oppose this destructive idiocy. I wish the current government were even 1/2 as proactive and sensible as you are. I wish you success in your research! Earn your PhD quickly and come home to Israel.

Good try, Mr. Hanifas, you're a credit to your country.

U and Sari Nussaibah

Maybe it's best to simply ignore this "boycott" and let it die under the weight of its own irrelevance. So far, it's done more damage to the reputation of the Brit "lecturers" than they could ever inflict on Israel. They're, probably, still mad about that King David Hotel incident. And while they don't have to take orders from the Jews now, any more than they had to back then, just like back then, they should, at least, listen.

Kol ha kavod Amir ! I am proud of you.

Thank you for standing up for Israel. It actually feels me with great delight to read your article, and learn how you managed to bring up your wonderful arguments there, so as to upset these self-righteous, pompous, holier-than-thou British asses over there. You have now proven their ugly true colors of blind hate toward Israel. Thank you again.

Mr Amir your support for the occupiers of Jerusalem is sinful.

just a taste of how it is like... the palestinians have been boycotted by states... eventhough i am not with mingling politics with academical issues... however, israeili universities would use their expertise to create new weapons 4 the IDF... moreover, it is just a gesture to add 5p to the pressure in order to find a sustainable and permanent peace in the region

Once again, embarassed to be British. :-(

Amir, well done! It is even more clear that the teachers who pushed for the boycott have a set agenda and are not interested in real facts. Keep up the good work

You are the traitor, because even after this article, you have got no evidence to support the action of the boycott and you are just angry. Your 'palestinian' argument is so weak and it's only support is hearsay and propoganda. It's so sad that the world is buying it.

B'cos of people like you, we can hope for peace, justice and equality between palistinians and jews. The boycot clearly is not intended to solve the conflict but rather to build more barriers.

Unlike the Brits academics, Amir is a good example what education can do to you.

You made a heroic effort and you're to be congratulated for that. And even if you weren't able to change any hearts or minds, at least you've exposed the fact that these so-called academics have no interest in what they perceive as "justice" for the Palestinians. Rather, they're being motivated by a hateful, fascistic ideology.

So sad the way you have reacted. You are the traitor - you do not want to better yourself or your people. You would rather bring down someone who has made the best of the opportunities offered to him.

Can't stand it can you. You refuse to accept that an intelligent man sees the good in Israel and wants to explain it to the rest of the world. He is what you call a true ben-adam. You, on the other hand have no future and no hope because of your deep routed hatred for Israel. Why don't you piss off and go live in Jordan. What? oh, that's right, they can't stand you either. Guess we are stuck with you, you skunk.

Yours is a great testimony, which confirms that behind the boycott there is ONLY prejudice against Israel!!! Thank you.

Hi Amir Hanifes, As I see in other comments, we thank you for trying. We know many in the Israeli minority do appriciate what the universities have given them, but few speak up. I also appriciate the fact that you straight out conclude that they were not at all interested in the facts. It's important to learn why people do things in order to combat them with the truth. It's interesting that they claim part of the reason for their actions is to defend people like you (mistreated minority - so they claim), yet when you confront them they clearly demonstrate they care very little about the true situation and instead insinuate you are a traitor. How long can they go? Very low apparently.

But fighting against morons is like talking to a wall.

good luck in your upcoming VIVA VOCE. And, don't you worry a bit about # 3, actually, he's the real TRAITOR. His brain-washed mind and his blind hatred even for the success of minorities in Israel show how little he cares for his own people.

Is he a traitor because he doesn't want to blow up Jews and defend his country?

Just to add some more info to the encyclopedia of valuable info which Amir placed in this article, well Amir, there are two ways of lying one by twisting the facts (not telling them correctly) which is the traditional way, and the smarter way, which is by hiding facts and recounting only the parts which suits you (selectively recounting the parts you like to fool your audience ) . Obviously, you have chosen for the second option thinking that you are very smart. First thing first and before you talk about minority rights, can you tell the readers how the Arabs became a minority in Israel ?Isn't it through the expulsion of around one million of them in 1948 and 1967? Second, what about the racist outings of Israelis like Shlomo Ammar, and Libermann? Third what about the group of extremists who were roaming the streets of Jaffa (not long ago) asking the Arabs to leave in return for financial compensation. Fourth, and here I am going to talk about academic freedom What about the Palestinians who are prevented from persuingh their studies at Israeli universities just because they are Palestinians (To refresh your memory an article on the Ynet site has appeared a while ago about a PHD student , I cannot recall his name, but he was trying to follow environmental studies). Fifth, can you tell me why the Arab section og Haifa is much poorer and the place is mich more derelict than the surrounding Israeli neighboorhoods? Next time you write an artticle, do your homework well, study all the aspects related to the topic of your planned article and then start writing it

that's precisely the point. Amir was only pointing out the British selective hearing and comprehension. Thank you, Amir! You are a jolly good fellow!

well, 1st of all this guy is druze... the druze have collaborated with the israelis since the establishment of the state. The druze serve in the israeli army and have helped the apartheid military system in israel from the beginning. He and others have only helped israel to increase the suffering of the poor palestinian ppl. Thanks god Amnesty International has justified the boycott for the israeli institutions by publishing their latest report. When it comes 2 sari Nussaibah, He is the president of the Alquds University, a university that isn't recognized by Israel bc of political reasons ~ Irony!!!

1 million "expelled"? well in the whole of the mandate in 1947 there were 1.1 million Arabs, lets assume they all lived inside 1948 Israel. 150,000 arabs were still in Israel post 1948, so that means you need to invent another 50,000 arabs. As for "expelled", you may want to read an actual history book as opposed to the propaganda and there was this thing called "War of Independence". Maybe you are getting confused with the 50,000 jews expelled from East Jerusalem? As for your example of academic freedom, Israel has plenty of Palestinians from the territories studying in it's universities. I wonder how many Israelis are studying in Bir Zeit or Gaza? As for racists, what about the BNP in the UK? What about racists in Netherlands? As for poorer parts of Haifa, the Israeli government is limited to what it can provide because the land isn't public, it is arab. I'll also bet that the Arab section of Haifa is less derelict and less poor than parts of Kiryiat Moshe.