Toronto, ON – On Sunday, the American Studies Association (ASA) adopted a boycott against Israeli academic institutions.
In response, David Koschitzky, Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), issued the following statement:
“We condemn the ASA’s academic boycott of Israel, which represents little more than the minority view within a small organization. Despite its symbolic effect, this boycott will have virtually no practical impact on Israel. It will neither promote peace nor improve the quality of life of Palestinians. No matter how the ASA dresses it up, such boycotts are unequivocally anti-Israel rather than pro-Palestinian.
“It is regrettable that the ASA has so conclusively diminished its own credibility with this misguided tactic. Their single-minded effort to blacklist Israeli academic institutions on the basis of nationality is discriminatory and completely opposed to the principles of academic freedom.
“We are encouraged that many academics have spoken out against the boycott, including Canadian Academics for Peace in the Middle East (CAP) – which has been actively mobilizing opposition to boycott campaigns. It is more important than ever that Canadian scholars speak up in defense of academic freedom and oppose efforts to isolate the only liberal democracy in the Middle East.”