(IHC News, 03 October 2006) The Irish embassy in Israel denounced a letter to The Irish Times by 61 academics in Ireland, declaring the need for an academic boycott of Israel.
The group wrote that pressure needed to be put on Israel for its “policy of violent repression against the Palestinians…and its aggression against the people of Lebanon.”
“The Irish government does not support any move to isolate Israel or Israeli institutions,” the Israeli daily Haaretz quoted a spokesperson for the Irish embassy in Tel Aviv as saying, on Sunday, 01 October 2006.
“Our aim is always to come to a maximum possible inclusive dialogue. We want to find a true solution to the situation and closing off dialogue would be counterproductive,” the spokesperson said.
The boycott statement did not mention the need for Hamas to recognize Israel or for the Palestinians to stop terrorism.
It also did not condemn Hizbullah for instigating the recent war in Lebanon and for firing nearly 4000 rockets at Israeli civilians.
In recent years, attempts by a number of academic organizations in England and other countries have been made to call for boycotts of Israeli academia.
Critics of such proposals cite the fact that while genocide and other more pressing tragedies are occurring elsewhere, academic boycotts aimed at Israel prove those behind the proposals are politically motivated and hope to cause harm to the Jewish State.
Source: Original text contributed by the author, IHC reporter.
Copyright © Israel Hasbara Committee, 02 October 2006.
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