This is a forwarded message from David Hirsh (Goldsmiths College,
University of London) which may interest some readers:
Many are angry that AUT has now taken the first steps on the road to
boycotting Israeli thinkers, teachers, artists and musicians on the premise
that are responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.
It is crucial that we do not to leave AUT in anger and disgust. If we seize
the moment, we can build a campaign that can reverse the boycott policy in
AUT. People must not resign, they must fight. And the people who have been
fighting for a long time, and feel isolated and angry, will not be isolated
now. A whole new layer of people are ready to join them in the fight
against the boycott.
On this issue, debate can change minds. The argument that ‘Israel is
apartheid and so we must boycott it’ is seductive to people who don't know
much about the issues and who want to ‘do something’. But the commitment of
the people who have been thus seduced is weak. So debate, education and
organisation have a strong chance of success.
Many AUT members will be worried about union democracy; others about
academic freedom; many will be worried by the whiff of antisemitism; many
members are fed up with Sharon but don't know how to oppose him and the
boycotters at the same time. This is the moment for a campaign. And I think
we can win. Read the following carefully (from John Pike, Open University).
The AUT council at Eastbourne voted to boycott two Israeli Universities
without a proper debate: no speakers were taken against the resolutions for
a boycott moved by Birmingham or against the resolution calling for the
circulation of the call for a boycott, proposed by the OU. Lack of time
prevented any debate on this matter, which divided the Council down the
middle. This should offend all AUT members, regardless of their position on
the substantive issue. For this reason we want there to be a special
council of the AUT properly to discuss this issue.
Under the rules of the AUT there is provision for a special meeting of
Council. Rule 10.3.1 (in full) states that ‘The president may summon a
special meeting of council. A special meeting of Council must be convened
within 35 days if a request specifying the business to be transacted is
received from 25 council members.
All members of the AUT should contact their representative members of
council. You can generally find out who they are from the local branch page
of the AUT website at http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=519.
Please cut and paste the first statement below and ask council members to
sign it. Please let me know of any successes at [log in to unmask] and
send me signatures as they come in. I’ll keep count and post updates to the
Engage website.
To the President of the Association of University Teachers
As members of the Council of the Association of University Teachers, we
request a special meeting of the Council of the AUT under rule 10.3.1 in
order to have a full debate on proposals to boycott Israeli Universities.
We also ask ordinary members of the AUT to add their names – email is fine
for this one - to the following statement which will be circulated to all
members of the National executive committee, all of who are members of
Council.
To members of the National Executive of the AUT
As members of the AUT concerned by the absence of a debate on the
resolutions to boycott Israeli Universities, we ask that you support the
request for a Special Council meeting to have a full debate on these
proposals
Jon Pike (Open) AUT membership number 58097
Best Wishes
David Hirsh
Sociology Department
Goldsmiths College
London SE14 6NW
[log in to unmask]
+4420 7919 7730
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