http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070606-111916-6055r

LONDON — Britain hopes that an initiative by academics to boycott Israeli universities will be overturned, said Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday, adding that such a move would not help the peace process.

The University and College Union, Britain’s largest trade union for academics, voted May 30 to back calls for a boycott of universities in Israel in protest at the Jewish state’s treatment of Palestinians.

“I hope very much that that decision is overturned because it does absolutely no good for the [Middle East] peace process or indeed for relations in that part of the world,” Blair told parliament.

The academics’ union passed a motion at its annual congress urging lecturers to “consider the moral implications of existing and proposed links with Israeli academic institutions.”

Under the terms of the motion – condemned by both the British and Israeli governments – the union must now circulate calls from Palestinians for a boycott of Israeli universities to all of its branches for discussion.

If adopted, the boycott initiative could see academics no longer writing for journals published by Israeli universities and refusing travel to Israel for conferences.

Israel voiced concern at the weekend over the initiative, with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying: “The prejudice, the hypocrisy, and the malice are coming from those who are said to be enlightened. We will fight against this.”