Madam, - We, the undersigned are unanimous in our objections to the petition calling for an academic boycott of Israel.We see it as a one-sided attempt to delegitimise Israel.
We are appalled that, in response to the tragic situation in the Middle East, our colleagues should choose to associate their names with a distorted position that ignores the history of the past few years.
We have diverse opinions on how peace in the Middle East can be achieved, and widely differing views of the current government's policies. However, we are all agreed that the signatories to the letter in your edition of September 16th make no mention of the widespread desire within Israel for a long-term and just solution, or of previous attempts to achieve a peaceful settlement. Instead, they pour scorn on Israel alone.
Israeli universities are among the most open and anti-racist spaces in Israel. They are places where words and argument are the norm, rather than guns and bombs. They have large numbers of Arab students (20 per cent in Haifa and Jerusalem) as well as significant numbers of Arab staff. The Oslo peace process was forged by links between Israeli and Palestinian academics.
Joint collaboration with Israeli academic institutions can help foster this openness and lead to a willingness for both sides to undertake the dialogue that is necessary to lead to resolution of this conflict. - Yours, etc,
JOHN HARPUR,
DENNIS McEOIN,
PAT Ó SULLIBHEÁN,
DARA O'SULLIVAN,
BRIAN SMITH,
SUSAN PHILIPS,
Trim,
Co Meath.
Madam, - Last Saturday you published a letter signed by a formidable list of doctors and professors calling on their colleagues to suspend co-operation with Israeli academic institutions until the Israeli government "ends the occupation of Palestinian territories".
However, is it not counter-productive to call for such sanctions, isolating the Israeli academic community, when it is with these very people that constructive dialogue could be achieved?
Should we now expect to see a similar moratorium issued upon Harvard and other American universities until US troops are pulled out of Iraq? - Yours, etc,
NADJA DELMONTE
and PHILIP ROE,
Trafalgar Terrace,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.