[Debate] (Fwd) Israel BDS two steps forward, one back at British universities

[Patrick Bond]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/may/27/lecturers-vote-boycott

Lecturers vote to boycott Israeli universities
Protest vote immediately declared void by university union

by Jessica Shepherd

Lecturers voted overwhelmingly to boycott Israeli universities and
colleges today. Delegates said Israeli academics were complicit in their
government's acts against Palestinians.

But as soon as the vote was carried, the leadership of the University
and College Union declared it void. Lawyers had advised the union to
rule the vote null and void if passed, to avoid legal action against the
union.

The union's general secretary, Sally Hunt, said she "formally and
personally commended" having the debate.

The lecturers voted for a "boycott, disinvestment and sanctions
campaign" against Israeli institutions in protest against Israel's
policies in the occupied territories and January's incursion into Gaza.

The vote was carried at UCU's annual congress in Bournemouth. It is the
ninth time the deeply contentious issue of Israel and Palestine has
surfaced.

This year feelings ran particularly deep as the vote came after a wave
of student protests at 35 universities across the UK.

Tom Hickey, from the University of Brighton, put forward one of two
motions calling for lecturers to "reflect on the moral and political
appropriateness of collaboration with Israeli educational institutions".

Martin Ralph, from the University of Liverpool, called for a boycott,
disinvestment and sanctions campaign. He also called for a separate
conference to decide how to legally implement a boycott.

But Camilla Bassi, from Sheffield Hallam University, said a boycott
would "not help anyone" and would be "part of an anti-Jewish movement".
She said: "It is a recipe against all Israelis when we need links
between Israeli and Palestinian workers."

Jeremy Newmark, joint head of Stop the Boycott, said: "Whether you are a
trade unionist wanting a powerful union or whether you are a
longstanding campaigner for peace, it is clear that the UCU has taken
leave of its senses. There is the potential for this union to play a
remarkable role at this hugely crucial time. If the UCU was a serious
union representing their members they would be working to involve
Israelis and Palestinians in each other's destiny."