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Appeal to ‘Stand against’ boycott of Israeli institutions
A group of concerned students, parents and alumni of the University of Cape Town, have called upon UCT’s management and leadership to stand against an ongoing campaign calling for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions at the university.
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The concerned group started a petition on Wednesday urging the university’s relevant bodies to reject calls for the boycott, saying that an academic boycott violated the principles of academic freedom and freedom of speech, which were guaranteed in Section 16 of the South African Constitution.
The group says that the “true essence of a university is to foster dialogue and develop solutions to problems without regard to political, racial, and cultural differences. UCT has always shown these qualities, leading us to celebrate our association with UCT.”
The group says it is concerned that “despite there being a difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, there is a dangerous convergence. Conclusive evidence shows that anti-Semitism is on the rise globally, and it is a new type of Jew-hatred that masks itself as opposition to Israel’s state policies and Zionism”.
It said student groups like the Palestine Solidarity Forum (PSF), at UCT, “do not make the profound distinction” between anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and criticism of the policies of a particular Israeli government. That these “blurred lines” had a negative impact on campus.