The SPME Chapters in Germany and Austria are concerned about the expulsion of the Ariel University Center from the Solar Decathlon 2010.

This decision has been taken by the Spanish Government exclusively on political grounds under the pressure of the movement for an Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. The Team of the Ariel University Center is expelled after it has been qualified to participate in the final round of the first European competition of Solar Decathlon this June in Madrid.

It is especially concerning that the Ariel University Center has been excluded from this competition because of its location in disputed territories. Israel is one of the leading countries in research and development of the use of solar energy and has the potential to contribute significantly to the further development and implementation of environmentally friendly energy production. The boycott, pronounced by the Spanish Government and the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, is especially absurd as it is affecting both Arab and Jewish students in Israel. We are concerned that the expulsion of a committed students’ team purely based on their origin and nationality might discredit the whole Solar Decathlon and its goals including future competitions.

The Chapters of SPME Germany and SPME Austria hope that many of the readers of the SPME Faculty Forum might consider to sign SPME’s Statement on the Expulsion of Ariel University Center of Samaria from Solar Decathlon 2010 on Political Grounds