UPDATES

Statement on BDS and publicly-funded bodies

May 27, 2013

An article in Saturday’s AustralianLibs to cut funding for anti-Israel activists” (May 25) – discussing recent debates about publicly-funded bodies engaging in Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel – briefly quoted from a longer statement from AIJAC Executive Director Dr. Colin Rubenstein on the subject. As the brief quote in that piece did not and could not fully represent AIJAC’s position, here is AIJAC’s statement on the subject in full:

AIJAC believes that it is obviously inappropriate for publicly-funded bodies to engage in BDS against Israel, and that it is the role of government to make this clear. Academic freedom means individual academics have the right to advocate what they wish. It does not mean that they have the right to turn publicly-funded academic bodies – such as the Sydney University Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies – into activist organisations pursuing political campaigns. This is especially so with respect to campaigns tainted with elements of antisemitism and inimical to Australia’s national interests – as all the principled Australian politicians signing the London Declaration against Antisemitism would attest.

The BDS movement, by boycotting all Israeli academic institutions and their faculty, actually itself violates the fundamental tenets of academic freedom, which calls for free exchange between academics without allowing politics to interfere in this process. Furthermore, it is not appropriate for public funds to be allocated to a centre with a track record of manipulating students in order to further its hateful agenda – as again evidenced by the recent motion passed by the university’s student representative council – thereby fostering a hostile atmosphere for the Jewish students at the University.

Tags:

RELATED ARTICLES


D11a774c 2a47 C987 F4ce 2d642e6d9c8d

Bibi in DC, the Houthi threat and the politicised ICJ opinion

Jul 26, 2024 | Update
Image: Shutterstock

Nine months after Oct. 7: Where Israel stands now

Jul 10, 2024 | Update
Palestinian Red Crescent workers from Al-Najjar Hospital in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip (Image: Shutterstock)

Hamas’ impossible casualty figures

Mar 28, 2024 | Update
455daec3 C2a8 8752 C215 B7bd062c6bbc

After the Israel-Hamas ceasefire for hostages deal

Nov 29, 2023 | Update
Screenshot of Hamas bodycam footage as terrorists approach an Israeli vehicle during the terror organisation's October 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel, released by the IDF and GPO (Screenshot)

Horror on Video / International Law and the Hamas War

Oct 31, 2023 | Update
Sderot, Israel. 7th Oct, 2023. Bodies of dead Israelis lie on the ground following the attacks of Hamas (Image: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa/Alamy Live News)

Israel’s Sept. 11, only worse

Oct 11, 2023 | Update

RECENT POSTS

Image: Shutterstock

AIJAC frustrated and shocked at ABC Ombudsman’s rejection of complaint against an “open and shut” case of factual error

Israeli Settlements Near Bethlehem

Report: Approvals for West Bank settlement expansion ‘stuck’

Screenshot

‘Concerning escalation’ of Iranian nuclear threats against Israel: Joel Burnie on Sky News

Image: Shutterstock

Fact Sheet: Recent Israeli legislation on UNRWA

Image: Anas-Mohammed/ Shutterstock

The Australian Government refuses to see UNRWA’s terrorism

Image: Shutterstock

AIJAC frustrated and shocked at ABC Ombudsman’s rejection of complaint against an “open and shut” case of factual error

Israeli Settlements Near Bethlehem

Report: Approvals for West Bank settlement expansion ‘stuck’

Screenshot

‘Concerning escalation’ of Iranian nuclear threats against Israel: Joel Burnie on Sky News

Image: Shutterstock

Fact Sheet: Recent Israeli legislation on UNRWA

Image: Anas-Mohammed/ Shutterstock

The Australian Government refuses to see UNRWA’s terrorism

SORT BY TOPICS