The heads of Israel’s major universities criticized an American academic group for moving to consider a boycott of Israel at its upcoming convention.

The Association of University Heads, Israel, sent a letter Monday to Alisse Waterston, the president of the American Anthropological Association, expressing“great regret and disappointment” over the group’s decision, saying it “presents a distorted and false depiction of reality in Israel.”

Signed by presidents of eight Israeli universities, including the Technion and Hebrew University, the letter notes that a “significant percentage of the student population at Israeli institutes is made up of Israeli Arab students who benefit from full equality as granted to all students and researchers.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The letter concludes: “When resorting to implementing measures such as ‘boycotts,’ no researcher or institution is immune. It is us today and you and others tomorrow and ultimately, the scientific world in its entirety will be the one to pay the price. We respectfully ask again that you refrain from taking such a groundless measure.”

The motion to place the boycott resolution on the American Anthropological Association’s spring ballot was approved in November at the group’s annual meeting by a vote of 1,040 to 136. More than 10,000 members will vote on the resolution, which calls on the association to refrain from formal collaborations with Israeli academic institutions, but does not ban relationships with individual scholars.

In December 2014, the association rejected a similar motion.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount