Academic boycott of Israel should open dialogue
The vote by the American Studies Association to boycott Israeli academic institutions is a protest that should be heard at the highest levels of the US government.
On Dec. 15, the members of the American Studies Association (ASA) voted 66% in favor of endorsing the ASA National Council resolution to boycott Israeli academic institutions in protest of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
The council applied standards predicated on evidence of institutional discrimination and made a gesture of solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom in the hopes of expanding this kind freedom for all, including Palestinians.
The ASA further criticized Israeli universities for “being complicit” in the repression of Palestinians, although many professors in the Israeli academic community show a commitment to human rights.
This resolution represents a commitment to objectivity, and serious research went into determining the committee's decision. This is what is expected of academics.
