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S. African professors shun boycott bid
Associated Press
Published: 29.09.10, 18:47
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1. Good, start work on an anti-rocket defense and ask the pals
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (09.29.10)
to help develop it. Now that would be a true test of their peace partner capabilities.
2. Naive people.
Uzziel   (09.29.10)
Now the fakestinians will reject any form of cooperation with the BGU just to force a boycot on the University. The business of the fakestinians has never been to build a viable entity but to destroy Israel.
3. Bishop Tutu's remarks regrettable
Oren Katz ,   Toronto   (09.29.10)
and untrue. Palestinians do have access to Universities and Schools, many of them built with Israeli and foreign aid money from places such as South Africa. Arab Israelis (who are also Palestinians) have full access to those same Israeli Universities and schools. By contrast, Palestinian territory and institutions are for Palestinians only. There is no integration in Palestinian society. Still more regrettable is Tutu's assertion that Israeli Universities are complicit in whatever policies the Israeli government pursues - this is the ultimate thought policing and totally contrary the very fabric of academic freedom.
4. who TUTU is
Mark Bernadiner ,   Pearland, USA   (09.29.10)
Tutu has no credible highschool education and his knowledge in ME history is limited to "street-popular" crup, he created.
5. his name is tutu, but he acts like a cod piece
jason white ,   afula,israel   (09.29.10)
Why doesn't this old man shut up already? These old senile politicians do not know when to leave us alone. Look at them. We have tutu, peres and carter. Retire or die already, you bunch of losers. You may be old, but no wisdom came with your age. It left long ago.
6. I thought Israel built Bir Zeit University ...
Cowboy Joe ,   Calgary, Canada   (09.29.10)
with Israeli taxpayers' money.
7. I am confused: I thought Pals wanted their own independent
Bat Zion ,   Centre, Israel   (09.29.10)
state, not to become part of Israel? After all, Pals have 19 Universities and colleges in the Palestinian territories - surely any pal student can find his place there? List of Palestinian universities and colleges Gaza Strip * Al-Aqsa University [1] * University College of Applied Sciences [2] * Al-Azhar University - Gaza [3] * Al-Quds Open University [4] * Islamic University of Gaza [5] * Universal Studies Academy [6] * Palestine Technical College [7] * University of Palestine[8] The West Bank * Arab American University [9] * Al-Quds Open University [10] * Al-Quds University [11] * An-Najah National University [12] * Bethlehem Bible College [13] * Bethlehem University [14] * Birzeit University [15] * Edward Said National Conservatory of Music * Hebron University [16] * Ibrahimieh College [17] * Khodori Institute, Tulkarm * Palestine Polytechnic University [18] source: Wikipedia As for Israeli Arabs, well, there are more than 20% of them in the BGU - which is their part of the population. So where is his problem? I'm afraid he'll have to dig really deep to find more
8. Please "boycott" Israel SA and drink your own filth!
David ,   Karmiel, Israel   (09.29.10)
BG University and any other Israeli University should sever ties with South African academic institutions. South African universities, once among the most respected in the world (I am an ex-South African and I studied at the University of the Wirwatersrand, Johannesburg) have lowered their standards to appease people like President Jacob Zuma who will go down in history as the man who prevented HIV AIDS by having a cold shower after unprotected sex! I have seen many documentaries on South Africa after the end of Apartheid and it shocks me to see how the vast majority of South Africans of color still live in squalor and sub-human conditions! Murder, rape, car jackings and other goodies are the order of the day and the racist regime of years gone by has been replaced by a regime of self interested ANC members who look after themselves and do nothing for the people who they are supposed to "serve"!
9. Like Tutu can talk!
Martin Gouws ,   South Africa   (09.29.10)
I'm so sick of Tutu pretending to be this righteous Church leader. Yes, apartheid was evil, but he supported the ANC and other black "liberation" movements that used a lot of the same tactics that the PLO uses, i.e. Terrorism! Lots of innocent whites in South Africa died at the hands of ANC guerillas during attacks so lets dispense with the "peace loving" crap! On behalf of South Africa and South Africans, I apologize for Tutu.
10. Why should Israel share tech with palis?.
John ,   Accra,Ghana   (09.30.10)
Israel should never share techs with palis or else palis will become wise and start to use the tech to build sophisticated weapons against Israel.Since arabs are not creative and are not ready to side with Jews they will continue to be in the stone ages..tutu can share South African universities with the palis period.
11. above
moishe   (09.30.10)
if Tutu represents the values of Jesus on earth then Chritianity is in real trouble! in essense, he is much show and little substance. he acts like a buffoon which may be his true character. SA gets more from Israel than reverse and more than from Islamic States. SA is on its way to becoming failed state.
12. Let them Boycott
Len ,   Australia   (09.30.10)
Many universities around the world want to work with Israeli universities because they want to glean from the best brains in the world. They boycott Israel at their own peril. Do Israel Universities need tthese ties with outside Uni's? Yes for Financial help, sponsorships and donors, but they can still operate on their own with sponsorships from other sectors As for sharing with Palestinians Unis Why teach someone how to use a gun to shoot you with? Anyway Israel Universities already have hundreds of arab-israeli students and hundreds have also graduated from Israeli Universities.
13. Same old story over and over
Danny   (09.30.10)
Anti-Israeli group puts out lying press release about a "boycott". Lazy churnalists report it as fact. Israel goes nuts and starts whinning. Later emerges there is no boycott and it was a lie. Meanwhile headlines are generated to give the impression that Israel is under increasing "BDS threat". Time to start suing the issuers of the press releases for libel.
14. Why does this happen over and over
Danny   (09.30.10)
It is always the same story. A tiny minority try and fail to pass a BDS resolution. They send out a press release and churnalists report it. The Israeli media picks up on it and freaks out, generating more headlines and soon after it turns out to have all been nonsense. Better to nip it in the bud and threaten the group with libel action.
15. Boycotting BGU
David   (09.30.10)
I think all decent Israelis should boycott BGU and let all their leftist professors starve.
16. That's not really any of their business
William ,   Israel   (09.30.10)
Are Turkish universities in joint research projects with Kurdish universities? Are Basque universities given the same credibility and place in research projects along side French and Spanish universities? How about South African and Zimbabwean universities? Are they in research projects together to foster co-existence? And for that matter - WHERE is Tutu's condemnation of ALL the Arab universities that refuse to cooperate with Israeli universities??
17. "Palestinians have no access to universities"
William ,   Israel   (09.30.10)
What the hell are you talking about, Tutu?? There are several universities in Gaza and several more in the West Bank. "Palestinians" attend Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and before the intifada that THEY started, they were regular students in Arial College and Haifa U. Their universities are probably crap because they spend most of their time dispensing racist hate and driving political and religious ideology into the academic sphere. Where is your mention of that, you callous racist?? Further, Tutu fails to mention that most of the technology that comes from these universities actually saves lives - from heart pumps and medical devices, to arid irrigation systems and water purifying products used in Africa, to detection equipment and machinery that saved many, many lives in earthquake regions like Haiti. The only result of such a boycott against Israel is non-Israel universities being left out of such important discoveries.
18. Jason, Tutu and his generation will die off
Bill ,   New York, USA   (09.30.10)
India was anti-Israel in its anti-colonial stage. When that generation died off and was replaced by people who were serious about governance, India tilted towards Israel. Give it 30 years and South Africa will get over itself.
19. no suprise tutu is a racist pig, now and in the past
ralph   (09.30.10)
20. SA on slippery slope
Paul Mirbach   (09.30.10)
I agree with #8. Whereas once UCT and WITS universities were prestigious institutions and internationally recognised, now they are the laughing stock of the academic world. Too many "must pass" students, based on colour are accepted, while more deserving white students are not accepted to medicine, law and other limited place degrees, meaning less excellence and more racially coloured motivated acceptances. Therefore, whereas once connections with SA universities was prestigious, not so today. In fact the Israelli universities will be propping up the declining standards of SA universities. Let them wallow in theirs self satisfaction.
21. : : #7 I agree entirely
Matty Groves ,   Fairpoint   (09.30.10)
Good point
22. boycott of "Israel" is better but It's your decision!
Salma ,   Palestine   (09.30.10)
Palestinians had the highest number of PHD/Capita during the 90:s. Kuwait has the higest literacy rate of arab countries(Thanks to the Palestinians) followed by Palestine. T rue, we could not compare ourselves with "Israel" advanced scientifically, but under our hard circumstances , We're doing the best we can to free ourselves from foreign and internal occupation, I mean "Israel" and the lack of attention to scientific research and technology.
23. To #22
lippy ,   Proud Israeli   (09.30.10)
Thanks Salma for pointing out your disdain for "Israel" which in your mindset appears to be a ghost. Only goes to prove that the existence of Israel remains a "thorn in the a--e" to all Palestinians. Please let us have a reference to your claim of Palestinian PhD/Capita. If there are so many of them, where are the number of Palestinian Nobel Prize winners compared to Israelis?
24. I wish Palestinians will get their state
Israeli   (09.30.10)
So they can deal with Hamas regime, "supporting academics and freedom".
25. #23 read my comment until the end,
Salma ,   Palestine   (09.30.10)
you'll discover the answer , then maybe you too deserve the Nobel Prize :)
26. @#22: Suppose your data is correct, why did you throw it all
Bat Zion ,   Centre, Israel   (09.30.10)
away in 2000 and start the second Intifada, instead of accepting Barak's offer for 93%+swap? And ten years after, was it worth it?
27. Desmond Tutu piffle
Reuven ,   Israel   (09.30.10)
Never mind that a great many Israeli Arabs study in all Israeli universities - in Haifa University something like a quarter are Arabs, also the world class Technion. As for *active choice* by universities, implied meaning by head staff, some of the most leftist professors form a significant part of Israeli Universities. Of course, the so-called *occupied* areas are a different story. They are officially still at war with us, so that has nothing to do with any active choice by universities, but simply part of the political stalemate. In other words, so much piffle by Desmond Tutu.
28. #26 CUZ We do want the Right of Return.
Salma ,   Palestine   (09.30.10)
we'll continue to learn and one day will get 100% of our RIGHTS .
29. South Africans Are Such Hypocrites
GHook93 ,   Chicago   (09.30.10)
They scream racism and human rights complaints at everything, but never towards themselves. Look at South Africa: (1) High Crime Rate in World (Apartheid was wrong, but they had lowest crime rate in Africa at the time) (2) Horrible 3rd World Economy (Again Apartheid was wrong, but they were the sole 1st world country in Africa at the time and Socialist Mandela squandered it) (3) Highest Rape Rates in the WORLD (4) Highest BABY rate in the World (5) Highest HIV/AIDS rates in the World (6) APARTHEID is still ALIVE and WELL, but for the majority: (a) Discrimination against Whites is allowed at business, schools, housing and employment, but not against Blacks. (b) There are quotas for the amount of blacks that must serve in the Govenrment which can be as high as 90%, but that is only a minimum, the actual number can hit 100% (c) White Farmers are getting raped and murdered without any help from the government (d) There is affirmative action, but for the MAJORITY BLACKS. (e) Black Owned Business get tax benefits and the government contracts (f) Universities can discriminate on white children, but not blacks. South Africa must clean up its racist apartheid system before they can critize anyone!
30. #22 - Israeli influence is WHY you have higher achievers
William ,   Israel   (09.30.10)
Both sociology and academic analysts agree that due to direct, constant contact with Israel the Arabs of Palestine have a better standard of living and better options to Western thinking and education than their Arab brethren. That explains why so many Arabs illegal flooded the area in the 1930s from other Arab lands, and why in 2002 so many Arabs from West Bank rushed to be included in the Jerusalem envelope inside Israel. Though I give little credit to your ilk on their so-called advances. You still collectively possess the "victimhood gene" and still expend 10x more energy to kill than you do you build and grow. Your population has received the highest amount of global aid than anyone else historically and you did the least with it. It's unfortunate that you count as your "high achievers" Christian Palestinians, who hold th majority of those advanced degrees, since 1) they ran because they were begin persecuted by Muslims (their words, not mine), and 2) "Palestinians" are not a unique population.
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