#Tomorrow13 Al-Guardian releases full text of Hawking letter
The full text of the letter, dated 3 May, said: "I accepted the invitation to the Presidential Conference with the intention that this would not only allow me to express my opinion on the prospects for a peace settlement but also because it would allow me to lecture on the West Bank. However, I have received a number of emails from Palestinian academics. They are unanimous that I should respect the boycott. In view of this, I must withdraw from the conference. Had I attended, I would have stated my opinion that the policy of the present Israeli government is likely to lead to disaster."And the response from Israel.
"The academic boycott against Israel is in our view outrageous and improper, certainly for someone for whom the spirit of liberty lies at the basis of his human and academic mission," said conference chairman Israel Maimon. "Israel is a democracy in which all individuals are free to express their opinions, whatever they may be. The imposition of a boycott is incompatible with open, democratic dialogue."Let's put it this way. If Hawking had come to the conference and announced "In my opinion that the policy of the present Israeli government is likely to lead to disaster," he likely would have been applauded by about half the Israelis there, and no one would have questioned his right to his opinion.
On the other hand, had he gone to Ramallah or Gaza and announced "In my opinion that the policy of the present [Fatah/Hamas/'Palestinian Authority'/'Palestinian'] government is likely to lead to disaster," he would have had problems getting out alive.
'Nuff said.
Labels: BDS, British anti-Semitism, President's Conference
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:30 PM
1 Comments:
So, what is the policy that Professor Hawking thinks is a disaster? The concept that Jews can hold title to land and build on it? So this whole thing is confounded by the New Left Progressive #Occupy (and, apparently, Israeli law) philosophy that ownership is not permitted, that land is a communal Gaia-owned thing to be let out as a long term lease. Not plat, plots, and parcels owned as private property as an offshoot of individual liberty. What does a Torah Economics approach tell us? Is there a discussion anywhere on this?
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