Israel academic boycott condemned

A counter-offensive against a threatened British boycott of Israeli universities began yesterday when more than 250 leading academics and intellectuals said the move would damage the UK and the Palestinian cause.

Distinguished scientists, researchers and writers, including the fertility expert Lord Winston and the broadcaster Lord Bragg, put their names to a statement condemning the proposed ban as: "Bad for Britain. Bad for academic freedom. Bad for Palestinians. Bad for peace."

The message was a response to a vote by the new "super union" for university and college lecturers to promote an academic boycott. The motion, passed by 158 votes to 99 last month at the conference of the University and College Union (UCU), condemned Israeli academics for "complicity in the occupation" of Palestinian territories. Unison, Britain's largest union, will discuss a similar motion next week.

The union moves have already sparked a backlash in Israel. Right-wing lawmakers have called for British goods to be labelled: "This country is involved in an anti-Israeli boycott."

The UCU said it was facilitating a debate among its 120,000 members about a boycott but a spokeswoman stopped short of pledging a full ballot.

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