British Minister criticises Israel boycott

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell travelled to Israel today to show solidarity with Israeli academics amid efforts by a British professors’ union to shun Israeli colleagues in protest of the occupation of Palestinian territories.

“In both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, there are both progressive views and reactionary views,” Rammell said during a visit to Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He criticised the boycott, saying it “entrenches the positions of people who want to take a hard-line position”.