Community objections to PSU President Wim Wiewel's statement on the ASA boycott of Israeli institutions
- Details
- Written by AUPHR and others AUPHR and others
- Published: 04 February 2014 04 February 2014
February 3, 2014
President Wim Wiewel
RE: Objections to your statement on the ASA boycott of Israeli institutions
Dear President Wiewel,
As members of Portland State University’s Oregon community we are deeply disturbed by your recent statement on January 14th against the American Studies Association's boycott of Israeli academic institutions. We oppose a number of declarations made in your statement.
First, the ASA resolution does nothing to curb academic freedom or the free exchange of ideas because it is not directed at individual Israeli academics but at institutions complicit in Israel's denial of fundamental human rights to Palestinians living in Israel, under occupation in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, and in the diaspora. Israeli academics are free to attend ASA-sponsored conferences as long as they are not being paid to attend by Israeli institutions. Your letter misrepresents the ASA's position and willfully ignores Israel's ongoing denial of academic freedom to Palestinians.
