Dear Dr. Beck, Dear Dr. Gluckman,

I am fully supportive of the activities of SPME and of Dr.
Gluckman’s initiative and proposition to start a group in France under
the frame of SPME.

I will be glad to join the group when it is shaped and under whichever
procedure you will want to define.

I wish to thank Dr. Gluckman’s generous initiative to take the lead of
this action and will be glad to assist him, inasmuch as within my
limited capacities (see below).

I also fully support Professor Paul Mandel suggestion that this group be
extended for the time being to Belgium. Paul is a close friend and
collaborator and I could see no better person to lead the group in Belgium.
As far as I am concerned, I cannot at this stage commit myself to take
the responsibility of some real function and assignment within the
group, due to an over-crowded agenda.

These time constraint is not some sort of excuse to remain passive, but
is partly set by other not unrelated activities pertaining to the
promotion of France-Israel scientific cooperation. I am indeed involved
in such schemes both as a “hands on” researcher (physics: photonics and
bio-imaging) and more officially as a member of the scientific committee
of the “France-Israel Foundation”. The latter is a newly set official
agency overlooking France Israel cooperation, and whose purpose and deep
motivation is to make such adverse actions as the one we are precisely
fighting now, not only impossible, but look altogether absurd (all said
and told, that is what they boil down to). Of course, this is based on
constructive actions such as the organization and support of scientific
and cultural cooperative actions and manifestations, which are meant in
part to reduce and if possible invert prejudice against Israel so as to
spread a positive and realistic image within the general public, beyond
the sole actors, which is a prerequisite condition for peace.
I will ceratinly do my best to promote your organization within my own
network of colleagues and friends who would likewise readily identify
with its goals and purpose.

Also, you might be interested to know that I have been actively part of
a somewhat similar action, some three or four years ago, which ended-up
successfully (together with my colleague and friend Professor Claude
Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize of Physics who lead it) in opposing and
finally stopping another of these extremely vicious anti-Israel academic
boycott actions, this one having been triggered under the presidency of
Paris VI “Pierre et Marie Curie” University. Since then, there was no
repetition of such actions which ended-up, more than anything else, in
ridiculing its initiator (still in office) and supporters, but we should
still keep an eye on eventual off-springs in different forms, moreover
in the somewhat volatile current climate in this country. Hence a good
reason to support SPME and the setting-up of a French (and Belgian)
chapter.

With most sincere regards and the expression of my deepest consideration
for your action,

—
Joseph ZYSS
Professeur
Directeur de l’Institut d’Alembert (IFR 121)
Laboratoire de Photonique Quantique et Moléculaire (LPQM, UMR 8537)
Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan
61, Avenue du Président Wilson, 94235-Cachan, France

Téléphone: + 33 (0)1 47 40 55 63
secrétaire: + 33 (0)1 47 40 55 65
Fax: + 33 (0)1 47 40 55 67

website: www.ifr.ens-cachan.fr / www.lpqm.ens-cachan.fr