Rhodes could be first SA university to impose Israel academic boycott

Rhodes University in Makhanda has begun a process of consultation with its broader community about an academic boycott of Israeli universities for their alleged complicity in the illegal occupation of Palestine and atrocities committed in the occupied territories.

The boycott, if approved by the university senate and finally by the university council, would mean no academic collaborations with any of the Israeli tertiary institutions and a complete boycott of academic events organised by the institutions or sponsored by Israel whether the events were abroad or elsewhere.

The events include conferences, symposiums, workshops, research, panels and other activities involving the institutions.

Israeli schools ‘not neutral educators of students’

All the nine top public institutions of higher learning and at least four other academic institutions or centres in Israel will be targeted in the envisaged academic boycott.

The proposal received the nod from the Senate to be investigated during its sitting last month.

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The proposal said that the Israeli academic institutions were “not neutral educators of students”, failed to “induct them into neutral disciplines” and to provide them “with tools for critical thinking”.

“These institutions and others have assisted the Israeli occupation in numerous ways,” the proposal document said.

Military research and weapons development

The varsities were targeted for their roles in the development of weapons and weapons systems, special accommodation and programmes for military research and development candidates and specialised training suitable for roles in Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

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This includes the notorious General Security Service that allegedly commits torture and abuse of Palestinians.

If the proposal is approved, Rhodes would be the first university in South Africa to initiate an academic boycott of Israeli tertiary institutions.