Joint Statement on CUPE and NATFHE by Meretz USA and Ameinu

06/11/2006

New York, New York...Meretz USA and Ameinu, progressive Zionist organizations which support an end to the occupation and a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have historically and consistently opposed economic boycott, divestment, or other methods of economic pressure against Israel as a means of influencing the Arab-Israeli conflict. In simple terms, such efforts are polarizing, indiscriminate and inappropriate methods of impacting a complex conflict in which rights and wrongs obtain on both sides.

It is for these reasons that we condemn the resolution recently passed by the Ontario section of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to boycott and divest from the State of Israel and the resolution of Britain’s National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE), which encouraged its membership to consider personally boycotting Israeli academics and academic institutions. 

The NATFHE resolution is itself an attack on the very academic freedom that must be preserved for both Israelis and Palestinians.  It attacks fellow academics, not the political and military measures that the organization opposes.  Furthermore, anyone with any knowledge of Israel must surely be aware that opposition to the occupation is widespread among Israeli academics.  A boycott of Israeli academics can only serve to alienate many Israelis who support Palestinian rights, undermine the Israeli peace movement, and thereby weaken the prospect of securing these rights. Exempting Israeli academics who pass a political litmus test does not make the NATFHE resolution any less odious.

 Those groups and individuals who, like us, wish to see the Israeli occupation of the Palestinians terminated and a just peace between Israel and Palestine established should direct their energies to encouraging dialogue, negotiations, and positive support for joint Palestinian and Israeli NGO initiatives; not boycotts or other efforts that disrupt communication and undermine trust.

We hope that the majority of CUPE Ontario members do not wish to see such unintended consequences of this unwise and destructive decision, and will, at the earliest possible opportunity, reconsider their actions and revoke these resolutions.

Noting that the British Association of University Teachers stated that it does not endorse the policy advocated by this pernicious resolution and is strongly advising its members not to implement it; and

Noting that NATFHE and the Association of University Teachers merged on June 1, 2006, into a new union, the University and College Union (UCU):

We commend the first meeting of the Transitional Arrangements Committee of UCU for confirming on Friday, 9 June 2006 that the NATFHE resolution in question, “Conference Motion 198C,” expired at 11:59 p.m. on May 31st 2006 and has no continuing force or effect in UCU.